Stoic Façade
by Pinix
Summary: After pursuing Eren & his captors, Mikasa is injured. Refusing to let go of her hardheaded ways, she is confronted by an annoyed Corporal Levi. He demands she take responsibility, as a liability, he orders her to take leave. Refusing won't work, actions are taken, & shells begin to slowly peel. Can the duo handle the feelings that begin to seep to the surface? LevixMikasa.
1. 一

**Reposting chapters - removed the mature content to adhere to ToS (full unedited chapters will be found on my Tumblr when I upload them, check my profile).**

Disclaimer: Hajime Isayama is the rightful owner of Shingeki no Kyojin (進撃の巨人), I write out of pleasure and boredom and I am simply using his characters for my own story. _No copyright infringement intended._

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**Chapter 1:**

_Edited slightly since last posted to flow and add more strength/depth to the text._

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"_Mikasa!_" the name shot through the air in a panicked, shrill voice as the squadron advanced onwards in pursuit of the metamorphic Titans across the vast openess, the ground cracked as the hooved riding group passed quickly by. Mikasa quickly jolted her head toward the voice's owner - it was Armin, his eyes filled will sheer horror, his petite mouth slightly agape but changed into a thin line as his teeth clenched. The raven haired girl's eyes darted towards the path of her friend's gaze; behind them in the not so far distance, to the East, two groups of 15-25m class Titans were hurtling directly toward them at an alarming pace.

Moments following, the rest of the group turned their attention to the Titans, following Armin's panicked and alerting voice.

"What do we do?!" Armin's piercing voice broke through the air once again, his childlike blue eyes locking onto Mikasa's black ones in a sheer panic and need for reassurance.

"**Shit!** Commander, your orders?" Jean hastily questioned in response to the panic from Armin and situation currently unfolding. The Titan's speed surely meant they'd soon be closing in on the group if they didn't act quickly.

Erwin altered his strong, determined gaze quickly from the nearing Titans toward the boy, Jean; furrowing his thick blonde eyebrows slightly in thought, he turned his head and glanced at Mikasa, momentarily after, he issued his orders.

"Ackerman!" Erwin shouted at the girl, gaining her attention - her gaze left Armin's as she turned to face her Commander, "We will continue on into the trees, once there, you take out the two to the right of us, Kirschtein, Zermusky, Springer and Arlert will aid you! The rest of us will handle the four to the right!" Erwin instructed. "Don't do anything hasty and be on your guard! Once they've been dealt with, join back with the main group _immediately_! Understood?"

All were in compliance with their set orders, an syncronised _'Yes, Commander!'_ was sounded from the group. Mikasa nodded in acknowledgment and looked forward to the mass grouping of trees.

Nearing the _Giant Trees_, the group split into their assigned groups, each going either to the left or right, and into the thick mass of mountainous trees. The perpetual beat of hooves hitting cracked earth echo'd through the atmosphere, and a soft shaking to the ground threw the beat off, getting louder and more eratic. The Titan's were getting closer. Mikasa exhaled through her slender nose softly. After quickly adjusting her 3D Maneuver Gear, she grasped a hold of her reins and threw her left leg over the horse to join her right, readying herself, she took in her surroundings and glanced over to the closing in enemy and then to rest of her group. They all nodded in unison at her, signaling they were too, ready. Their eye's were filled with determination and trust toward Mikasa, and she called out to them.

"I'll handle this one alone," head motioning to the closest Titan, just entering the tree line, "you take out the other one." she stated, Armin nodded vigorously, lips clenched together tightly, eyes wide and ready. Mikasa gripped a hold of the red scarf that she religiously wore and adjusted it so it covered her mouth and nose, she glanced back towards their enemy, eyes narrowing. As her targetted Titan got closer, she leapt from her horse into the air and shot out a metallic wire which zipped through the wind and connected with the Titan's left waist, embedding itself within it's hard flesh - activating the Maneuver Gear, Mikasa swung across the expanse toward the doomed Titan.

Once close enough, she de-connected the wire and swung upwards and to the left, re-shooting a wire into a piece of flesh closer to its back, she took a sharp intake of breath and arched away as she felt the slight skim of the Titan's large, calloused right hand brush against her hair and cheek as it aimed to bat her away.

_'Tch, it's fast..._' she mentally cursed, she hadn't expected that. After composing herself, she curled her body together as the hand that had missed began to fly upwards to take another try at hitting her away. Mikasa gripped her swords tightly in her hands, the leather pressing against her soft skin and clenched her teeth; she would not be caught off again!

But the sudden grunt and harsh jerk from the Titan took her by surprise, _what had just happened?_

She shot her gaze slightly behind her; Jean. His Maneuver Gear's wires were embedded into the Titans left bicep and he had slashed its left ribcage open with his sword, denting and staining the once pristine metal slightly with the putrid blood. He sent Mikasa a cocky smirk, but was taken off-guard and barely dodged the attack from the Titan as it attempted to counter attack him. He acted quickly and was on the defensive as he hovered in the air, about to dodge at any moment. The Titan's attention was solely on him.

"Jean!" Mikasa yelled, she took this as an opportunity to utilise on and she shot her Gear into the Titan's bulking shoulder and threw herself up into the air.

"Got ya back, Ackerman!", his proud voice shouted back after composing himself as he dodged another hit form the Titan, he swung around and continued past it's left side, using it as leverage to boost himself forwards, he detached from the Titan and flew by a nearby tree and onwards towards the other Titan, where the rest of the members currently were.

Mikasa continued to shoot up into the harsh air and readied herself, but took a quick intake of breath as she suddenly felt the Maneuver Gear clunk unexpectedly and go stiff, the wire refusing to give her more length or retract.

_'Shit, it's jammed...'_, she cursed and looked down; she still had an opportunity, with or without the Gear. The Titan still hadn't realised her position, the advantage was undoubtedly in her favour.

She continued upwards through the cool air, until gravity took action, the wind was whipping at her silky onyx hair as she began to descended towards her target below. She had it, she was sure; it was going to be over momentarily. A quick surge of strength shot through her as she sliced her swords accurately from both directions into the back of the Titan's neck. The Titan flailed its body from the attack and let out a disgruntled scream of pain. The putrid smell of blood hung heavily in the air, as the blood hit the bark of the trees and stained them with its crimson stench before burning into nothing, the large piece of disconnected flesh fell through the air and landed among the grass below. She acted quickly after, flipping her body around, and landing onto its shoulder, she braced herself. The Titan's lifeless body continued to descended forwards, impacting with the hard ground, sending dust into the air with a heavy thud.

She gracefully landed onto the ground with a soft thud, knees bent, Maneuver Gear clunking against her body and ground with the generous impact, straightening her legs casually, she stood up straight, glancing to the left of her, the dead body of the Titan began to burst into a hot heat of smoke, melting away into the ground until there was nothing but the smell. The wind was picking up and was harshly gushing through the trees and through her soft hair, causing her locks to begin batting into her face. She raised her hand to brush it from her eyes and lifted the red scarf up her face once again, she inhaled the ever present smell of the scarf, wanting to smell only it and not the rotting smell of dead Titan.

The heat from the melted Titan was still present against her skin, and the wind caused a shivering contrast against it. She took an intake of breath through her nose and exhaled softly through her open mouth, the hot air bouncing off the crimson fabric, heating her face more. The scarf made her think of Eren, sighing, she closed her eyes and buried her face deeper into the material; she needed to find him…

After an intake of breathe, and opening her eyes, she turned search for Armin, her gaze landed on him, he was a good distance away, inspecting him over best she could from the distance, the corner of her mouth raised slightly, he was unharmed too. She was relieved.

"Armin," she started to call, but unknowingly to her, three new 15m Titans had appeared from the South within the mountainous trees, and were progressively making their way toward her direct location through the tall trees at a quickening pace.

The slight tremors on the ground caught her attention before anything; she furrowed her eyebrows, and pursed her lips tightly together. What the hell was- Oh no, it couldn't be...

"Ackerman! Move, get out of there, now!" A distant voice called, it sounded like Commander Erwin...but, why was he-?

Turning instantly, she saw the reason for the command; there were more Titan's making their way over to her direct location at an increasing speed, Irvin's group not far behind, zipping through the trees, pursuing it.

_'Dammit, they must have broken away from the group.'_ she concluded rationally, but glancing into mass grouping of trees in the far distance, she saw the burning remains of the dead bodies from the Abnormal Titan's from earlier which had begun to slowly melt away into smoke in a burst of molten heat. These Titans weren't from Erwin's to-kill list, these were new ones. Why were there so many in this one area, so close together? Her eyes narrowed dangerously, that didn't matter right now, and she needed to focus on the situation at hand.

Mikasa, keeping a calm façade attempted to shoot her 3D Maneuver Gear on a tall tree not too far away from her, to gain the advantage that she'd need, - sitting on the ground while even one Titan ran at you, was the most idiotic thing you could do in this situation, let alone three.

...But the gas tank clunked loudly. "Ha, of course." she murmured, "Still broken, isn't it." She muttered sardonically, she raised her gaze up at the scrambling Titan's, they were still some distance from her, she concluded she had around 30 seconds - maybe she could try running or even attempt to unjam it in time to move out of the way? Mikasa was not going to run, the idea repulsed her greatly. She was a fighter, she needed to be, she had to protect Eren and…

Settling for the latter, she gripped a hold of the malfunctioned Maneuver Gear with her petite, but capable hands.

Mikasa's squad had acted quickly, and was now quickly flying through the cool air towards the Titans. However, she'd estimated the distance between them, and the speed of the Titans incorrectly. The hulking Titan at the front of the pack was soon only a few hundred yards from her as it dived through the air at a horrific pace, dodging the group's attempts at halting its advance - it merely moved aside as Jean swooped in for a hit, batting him aside like a toy and knocking him into a nearby tree with a loud _thunk._

"Mikasa! Move!" A young voice yelled in deep panic.

Mikasa turned to see Armin zipping through the air to her aid, coming closer towards her, reaching out his hand in a panicked attempt at saving her.

His attempt was soon quickly halted when the Titan craned its neck unnaturally to look at him with crazed eyes that seem to stare wildly into his soul. Armin clenched his teeth together and clamped his eyes shut in pure horror. While letting out a screech, the Titan spun around and extended its long arms out and they collided against Armin's small frame, sending him hurling into a thorned bush.

"Armi-" she was cut off as she dodged as the Titan hurled itself at her in an attempt to grab her; she quickly jumped away from the hands, and landed on the floor with a thud. The Titan swiped it's left hand, and then right, the second barely scraping against her leg as she jump from its deadly grasp.

Her breath was coming out heavy and fast, it was harder than she expected, the Titan was fast...very fast, and without the Gear and air as an advantage, she had to rely on her instincts and swiftness on the ground. But even then, this Titan was Abnormal...and a fast one at that. She took a split second to look over to Armin's still body half slumped in the bush, oh God, she hoped he was still alive, if he _w-_ her thoughts were interrupted as the Titan swiped at her again, it grunted loudly as it missed the next attempt, losing it's balance and falling against the floor, face hitting the hard ground harshly.

Mikasa's breathing began to slow slightly, maybe it was tiring itself out and she could kill it quickly before it had chance to move, and at that she mused. Though that thought was short lived, as the Titan, with tremendous quickness, launched its arm up, homing in on her, colliding with her light frame and smacking her into the dry, cracked ground, a loud crunch was heard.

Mikasa screamed out in agony and looked up towards her enemy; it's eyes could be seen through the long black, wiry hair which was roused all over its face and head, the almost insane look made her heart skip a beat. Was this really the end? She couldn't even outwit a Titan without her Gear? She mentally scolded herself as she felt the Titan begin to clench its fist, fingers sliding under her body, picking her up off of the cold ground. The demented, empty eyes never leaving hers, and that smile… the crazed but almost happy smile was plastered across its face, almost as if to say:_ "I win."_

"Ackerman!" she heard a voice call, "Status?!"

A shadowed shilhouette passed over her from where the voice originated from, glancing up, the sun was glaring down through the trees in sharp, god ray lines that shone at her brightly, blurring her vision.

Erwin quickly zipped through the air, sliced at the Titan's exposed neck and back flipped away from it, landing expertly onto the ground and quickly turning to look toward her. A shriek of pain and what seemed to be anger rang through the air, and the Titan's empty eyes lulled into the back of its skull, head falling and colliding with the ground with an almighty crack.

Irvin gripped his swords in his hands then placed them back into his 3D Maneuver Gear slots with expert precision and glanced towards the silent Titan.

"Ackerman, if you're still alive, answer me, or I'll have you wh-"

"I'm fine! I-I can't move my right arm," her voice sounded loudly from within the Titans gripped, calloused hand. Steam slowly started evaporating from its body, fizzing in the cool air as is ascended. Erwin made his way across the dirt ground towards the dead Titan's closed hand. "Sir, Armin...is Armin alive?" her voice was stiff, but mixed with abruptness - she expected the worst.

"Arlert is in safe hands, Ackerman, we need focus on your current situation first." He affirmed strongly.

The rest of the surviving group's members quickly began to appear from within the tree line. Jean was over at Armin's side - he was unconscious from the force of the hit but he was nonetheless still alive, the rest of the group that had landed were progressing towards the slowly melting Titan.

"You three, get Ackerman out of there, before it starts to burn her alive." Erwin's command whipped through the air

"Yes, sir!"

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"We have to fall back for now. We cannot afford more casualties or injuries. You're no use to us in this condition either, Ackerman." Erwin said sternly, he glanced towards Armin who was being carried over to the small gathering of troops by the horses, and then to Mikasa.

"But, sir…" Mikasa tried, her eyes on the verge of pleading.

"I can understand, Ackerman. But this is an order; emotional attachments have no standing in this situation. Don't question my command." Erwin replied abruptly. "Back to base!" he commanded as he turned to the remaining squad members.

Mikasa's mouth thinned and she bit her tongue; there was no use in arguing, she knew it was best to keep quiet, even if it wasn't her nature or want. She slowly and reluctantly bowed her head down, lightly cradling her arm. Scouting Legion had to retreat from their pursuit and head back to Trost, as much as Mikasa hated to accept it, it was what needed to be done. Wincing in great pain as she was helped onto the back of her horse, she softly gripped a hold of her arm again; it hurt like a damn bitch, but she could bare it. She scowled and looked up into the distance past the trees, where the sun was now beginning to set; the orange and red tint to the sky cast a hazy glow on her pale face, warming it slightly, but she frowned.

_"Eren..."_

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_Chapter 2 uploaded.  
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	2. 二

Disclaimer: Hajime Isayama is the rightful owner of Shingeki no Kyojin (進撃の巨人), I write out of pleasure and boredom and I am simply using his characters for my own story. _No copyright infringement intended._

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**Chapter 2:**

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By the time they had returned, the sun was just peeking over the horizon, the vast sky bloodshot with streaks of blotted light. The large gates opened to allow the troops in, less had returned, and most were injured, minor and majorly. Apprehensive faces were met with emotionless ones as the troops continued inwards, the realisation of the death of their comrades sinking slowly in, the apprehension quickly left their once eager, young faces.

As the last few trailed in past the threshold of the towering fortified gates, they were locked with a loud, almost obnoxious bang that seemed like it shook even the air. Commander Erwin Smith took no time to situate himself; he immediately called a meeting with Pixis, along with the still injured Levi, Hanji, among other higher-ups. He needed to give a briefing of what had occurred, and the situation they were currently in. They had failed to pursue the Titans, and Eren had been taken from them - it was a disaster. The meeting lasted the remainder of the evening, and by the time it ended, the sky was dark and the wind was bitter and cold, a gloomy reminder of the situation that had presented itself.

After the report had come to an end, Levi waited until everyone else had departed the room; as usual, he wanted a private word with Erwin, regarding some minor things, including Eren. They spoke in muttering voices, sat around a table lit with a single candle light. Outside the room, silence ensued, only the occassional foot step could be heard in the distance, echoing down the large halls. Some time passed since they others had left the meeting room, and eventually Corporal Levi pried open the door to the meeting room and he strode out of it, slightly limping from his injured leg, and then turned made a sharp turn down the expanse. His eyes caught glimpse of two figures at the far end of the large hall.

Stoic faced as ever, Levi continued down the tiled floor of the hallway, upon being in range of facial recognition, the two figures were revealed as Mikasa Ackerman, and Armin Arlert. How in God's name could he have missed that damned crimson scarf she always, _without fail,_ wore?

Coming ever so closer, he caught glimpse of the female's face, she had dirt all over her fair porcelain skin, and her hair was slightly askew, she looked exhausted. The Corporal noted a slight strain of defeat in her coal coloured eyes. Levi's gaze surveyed downward, the boy's arm was wrapped tightly around Mikasa's lightly curved waist as he leant against her for the much needed support; as she held him upright, she also seemed to be wincing slightly, but the pain was masked behind her stubbornness, but the Corporal's older eyes could quite clearly see the pain hidden behind them, not that he cared. Nonetheless, she was protecting her arm, and the duo turned as the young boy was helped toward a nearby stone bench.

He took a small but very real intake of breath, and his eyes left her waist almost immediately and rose up to meet her slender face again, this time seeing the girl's side features, coming to halt he rested his arms behind his back, watching them, they apparently hadn't noticed his presence as of yet. He stood and surveyed them.

But Mikasa_ had_ noticed him. Her dark eyes rose slowly, locking onto his figure in the dim light of the corridor, she was aware of his presence the moment he left the meeting room, how could anyone miss that stoic aura and overbearing stare? Her eyes rose higher and met his. She scowled, looking away_, tch,_ the damn bastard had beaten the shit out of Eren in the court room, was up his own damn ass, a clean-freak, and didn't seem to give a shit! How could she show _him_ the courtesy of eye contact? What the hell was he doing anyway?

Oblivious to her deathly aura and to the person it was aimed at; Armin tugged on her leather jacket softly. "Mikasa, are you sure your arm's okay?" he asked meekly, breaking her rampant train of thought, she darted her eyes at him, she lifted her lips into a small, wary smile. He sat down on the nearby bench with a wince, Mikasa soon followed suit and sat down directly beside him, she needed to rest her feet anyway, the day had been so exhausting. Glancing down at her scarf, she buried her face in it and closed her eyes, still aware of the lingering, older man shortly down the hallway. She turned her attention to Armin as he spoke timidly. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you…it's my fault you're hurt, I could hav-."

Mikasa turned her head toward Armin's worried face, "Armin," she interrupted, "I'll be fine. You don't need to worry about me. It wasn't your fault, don't say such things. You're more hurt than I am, anyway. We should focus more on how we are going to rescue Eren, he-"

"B-But your injuries, Mika!" Armin yelped astonished, "I know you already rejected my request earlier, but...come with me." He said as he craned his neck around her, "Come to the infirmary...", a moment passed in silence as he glanced at her arm; "It hurts still, doesn't it?" he reached his hand out carefully and ran his fingers against her jacketed right arm.

"_Hnck!" _Mikasa grit her teeth harshly. "Armin! Please don't touch that...I'll be fine, please don't worry, it's nothing, it'll heal soon - _by itself._" she said quickly, hiding the sheer pain that had shot through her body at his touch. She exhaled after gaining her composure and her eyes closed softly, long dark eyelashes brushed against her skin, and leant back slightly against the back of the cold bench, the pressure of granite against her shoulder sent a pain down her arm, goddamn it, _it hurt_. Maybe she should go to the infirmary with Armin before heading to bed..? She let out a soft sigh and opened her eyes, looking out at the sky through the open window, it was very dark now, and she was exhausted, the infirmary could wait until the morning.

The soft sound of feet against the echoing floor and a monotonous voice broke the silence.

"Ackerman," her eyes snapped open instantly, "perhaps you should pay heed to Arlert's suggestion. If you're injured, you should be in the infirmary, not waltzing the halls with your _dirty_ boots." he motioned to her muddy boots plainly, "You're of no use to _**anyone**_ injured." He added. Although he was monotone, he sure managed to sound damn cocky! It made her eyes dart at the culprit, and why had he not left by now? What the hell was his problem?

Levi took two steps forwards and turned his head to face the window. It was dark, and he did require some rest. He glanced back towards the girl, Mikasa; she was staring at him intently, with flaming black eyes.

"I'll be fine, _sir_." Mikasa replied back, adding emphasis and unamusement, and looked away.

Levi's eyes narrowed, _impudent girl,_ and to think he even tried to being polite to the teen.

"That arm will only get worse if you refuse to treat it." the Corporal stated sternly. "Then what use do you suppose you will be in finding our dear Mr. Jäger, Ackerman?" Her lips formed a line, _that_ had struck a chord.

She span and scowled at him_, how dare he_.

"Sir, permission to speak?" It was less a request, but Levi nodded, his eyes were dull, awaiting her response. "I acknowledge your oh so _dear_ insistence, however, I am in no need of medical attention. It is nothing. I will be fine, thank you." she shot back.

Levi's eyes narrowed, the nerve of this…woman. He'd had enough.

"Stand up, at attention." he demanded.

_'What?'_ her eyes narrowed, he really was pushing it, why was he so damn insistent?

"_**Now**_, Ackerman." he added, voice deepening slightly.

She complied, rising from her seat, Armin's eyes widened in fear of what was going to happen. Mikasa stood straight, and directed her eyes at Levi, much to her own dislike.

"_At attention_, Ackerman." he repeated.

Her eyes narrowed again, he really enjoyed toying with her this much to prove a point? She grit her teeth, and bent her left arm behind her, hooking it behind her back.

"That isn't all, is it?"

Armin's sharp intake of breath was heard from the bench, "Mik-" sharp eyes shot at Armin, full of threat of punishment if he continued to speak, and they silenced him instantly.

Mikasa's lips thinned and she winced and bit back a moan of pain as she raised her right, quivering arm up, over her heart, in humanity's famous stance.

Levi scowled, she really couldn't just admit she was injured and head onto the infirmary, she had to be stubborn? He inwardly sighed, unintentionally his scowl softened, she really was too stubborn for her own good...

"At ease, Ackerman, remove your jacket and _that damned scarf_." He motioned his head towards the adorning red material encircling her slender neck; he took three more steps towards her, standing directly in front of her body, not even two feet away from her. He almost raised an eyebrow, but kept his plain, trademark face, waiting for her to comply. She looked away from his intense gaze and bit her lip hard from the inside. _What the hell was he playing at?_

"Why?" she questioned, almost curiously.

"You question a Corporal's order? And without correctly addressing me, too." He leant forwards a fraction. "_Ackerman_, you're pushing your luck this time." He murmured in a very low, very nerving voice.

"I only question what I do not understand, _sir_." She said the last part nigh on sarcastically.

Levi let out an audible sigh, this was tiresome. "I wish to inspect your arm, if it isn't hurt, why refuse me?" he dared.

Mikasa could say nothing. Defeated, she began removing the jacket slowly, biting in the pained screams she wanted to let free, she dropped it down onto the bench beside Armin. She kept the scarf on. Levi raised his eyebrow a small amount this time, he was almost amused at her disobedience, but reached his hand out and gripped ahold of it regardless.

Pulling it downwards himself, unravelling the soft material, he tossed it to the cold ground. Mikasa flinched, eye's ablaze, her left fist clenching, she wanted to knock his head off, that scarf was-

She was pulled from her anger as Levi reached out and lightly gripped her lean right arm. Her eyes shot open, pain clearly evident, and jolted away from his hand. Levi sighed loudly.

"Nothing is wrong, and yet you shy away from even the lightest of touches?" he scowled, "You don't have to be stubborn this time, Ackerman, with your injury you'll be a hindrance to others. Think of it that way."

"I..." Mikasa started, but was interrupted.

"I'll be going now. Arlert," Armin immediately rose at attention.

"Yes, sir?" he asked, loudly.

"Take Ackerman to the infirmary with you and have the people tend her." he turned to Mikasa, and took another step forwards, closer to her "Don't be hard headed this time, Ackerman. It will do none of us any good." Levi murmured, then turned and began down the corridor. "And if I find out you disobeyed my command," he turned back to her, "well, let's not dwell on that." He turned and continued back down the corridor with a mild limp in his step.

Mikasa let out a sigh, suddenly she was reminded that she was also the reason HE was harmed before... Either way, he was a damn bastard.

"Let's go, Mikasa," chirped Armin, "it's late, if we hurry we can get there and maybe get a few hours of sleep before tomorrow." He smiled warmingly at her, and they aided one another to medical centre, much to Mikasa's annoyance.

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_Chapter 3 uploaded.  
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	3. 三

Disclaimer: Hajime Isayama is the rightful owner of Shingeki no Kyojin (**進撃の巨人**), I write out of pleasure and boredom and I am simply using his characters for my own story. _No copyright infringement intended._

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**Chapter 3:  
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The silver, luna orb had been in the haunting sky for some time when Levi finally made entry to his bedchamber; he opened the old, rustic door and strode inside, the floor boards quietly creaking against his nimble weight as he moved. The Corporal turned and clicked the door shut behind him, then continued over to the other side of the room where his bed resided. He hadn't bothered to illuminate the room with any source of artificial light, there was no need: the moon was enough.

He peered out of the window at the full, pastel-white orb that loomed over ahead in the dark night sky, the shimmering white light casting an ominous glow in his dark room - it seemed so peaceful...so normal at night. It was a complete contrast to the mayhem that was life during the rise and reign of the ball of golden heat. He exhaled through his nose softly and lifted his right hand to his head, ran his palm up his face and through his dark hair as he sat down on top of his softly cushioned bed. He leant forwards, resting his elbows against his knees and buried his head into both of his open hands. After inhaling the cool night air through his nose and exhaling through his partly opened mouth, he paused for a moment. He was exhausted. The day had been long and too much had happened while Erwin and the squadron were out foolishly pursuing after Eren and his captors.

People had gotten injured, and several had met their untimely end. He opened his eyes and stared into the empty space in front of him, perhaps if he had been there, surely it would have been different. The brat of a young boy wouldn't have even been snatched away by the enemy, soldiers' lives wouldn't have ended so fruitlessly and that damn Ackerman wouldn't ha-.

Levi lifted his head up abruptly, lightly shaking it to rid himself of the ridiculous thoughts. No, _she_ was the reason he wasn't there to begin with. He glanced down at his leg at the thought and frowned, he pushed back and fell back against his bed sheets with a soft _pff_ of air.

He stared up at the bland ceiling; he found his mind slowly drifting back to the pale girl. Her inability to keep cool when Eren was in danger was her major flaw, and it irked Levi, just as much as it confused him, it had gotten him injured and as a result...got_ her_ injured too. What was it that drove her to care so deeply for Eren's safety? Eren was, without his ability to transform into a Titan, just a regular run of the mill bratty teenage boy, who was _definitely_ too passionate and obsessive about a task than was healthy for him.

Levi shook his head again, thinking about such things was pointless, what went through Ackerman's mind at times, and her motives, really shouldn't interest him in the slightest. All he should care about was her ability to aid humanities struggle against the Titans.

He didn't_ devalue_ human life, but he needed to stop thinking of such irrelevant topics as this.

"_Tch_, pointless thoughts, wasting my time." He muttered, blandly as he stood and removed his jacket, followed by his harnesses and soon after removing his cravat he began buttoning down his shirt, folding each piece neatly and placing it on the chair. He peeled the shirt from his warm skin, and folded it precisely - it then joined the growing pile of items on the chair. Stood in the room, now near naked, his skin rippled against the cool air.

He glanced at the clock: it was 12:48, though far past the usual time he would be in bed, asleep, ready for the next day, he still could _not_ go to sleep without first showering. The idea of missing it made his eye twitch slightly.

_Cleanliness was necessary._

Still sporting his underwear, he walked by the window into the moon's silvery threshes that cascaded around his body, defining his already taunt and muscular frame in a white glow. He continued on towards his dresser and pulled out a new, clean and pressed pair of underwear, then walked over to the bathroom. After walking inside, he closed the door quickly behind him.

Discarding his current pair of underwear from his body, he folded it and placed it on the marble counter, along with the new pair and grabbed a clean towel from the rack. He switched the shower on and stepped into the jet of cool water.

Once pristine clean, the water was turned off, and he ran his strong hands upwards through his dark hair, pushing some of the clinging water from his locks, causing it to race down his taunt shoulders and back. He leant out and gripped the towel and quickly dried his warm skin off, and wrapped the towel firmly around his waist and he stepped onto the dry mat. The steam had collected on the mirror, and he ran his hand across it, leaving a streaked handprint in its wake. He glanced at himself momentarily, his dull, stoic eyes stared back at him. He grabbed his boxers and slipped into them and carried the old pair, throwing them into the wash basket as he stalked towards his bed. He glanced at the clock. 1:04.

He gripped his sheets and pulled them back, slipping under the confines of the material, he covered himself, and forced his eyes closed, images of onyx eyes played in his mind as he slipped into a deep sleep.

* * *

Onyx hair lightly fluttered in the winds soft breeze, the owner, Mikasa, was sat on a wooden barrel outside in the streets of the town, she'd not been able to sleep much at all last night, she'd gotten 2 ½ hours at most. After going to the medical team and had been poked and prodded with items she didn't know the name of, they finally wrapped her injured arm in a thin bandage and given her a light piece of material to act as a sling, it tied around her neck, and pulled lightly on her skin from the dead weight of her arm. Her eyes stared down at it, she'd not been fast enough to outwit the Titan and had gotten herself injured, and Armin had even got hurt due to an attempt to save her. She creased her eyebrows and looked up through her silky hair towards the building in front of her, trying to distract her thoughts. She closed her eyes shortly after, and let out a soft sigh. Her head hurt, and she was still too tired to function properly right now, though she ignored her body telling her to rest. Sleep would have to wait, for now.

The wind blew quit briskly and sent her bright red scarf's ends into the wind; she gripped them and pulled them down. Her thoughts immediately flew to Eren and her eyes grew wild with anger. She'd failed to save him, she'd failed their mother. She'd made one promise and she could not even keep it. She jumped down from her position onto the ground. Mikasa's hand hit against the top of the barrel with a loud crack, the wood slightly breaking from the sheer force, and she leant forward against it, burying her head in her arm. She shut her eyes and cursed inwardly at herself. She_ needed_ to save Eren, she didn't care if she was injured; Eren's safety was her main priority. Her only priority.

A couple of soldiers passed by her across the street, and she could hear their soft mutterings, though she couldn't make everything out clearly - but it sounded like there was going to be another attempt at saving Eren and capturing the traitors.

"I don't see _why_ we should even chase them, if Jäger is all they want, let them have him…I don't want to die. It's not even worth it; it'll only fail again like yesterday! What the hell is the Commander thinking?" one hushed voice spoke.

"Yeah…it's suicide, man" one murmured back, quietly. "We shouldn't have to s- _**hey**_!" his body was quickly jolted to the side and a strong hand gripped menacingly at his jacket, he looked up to see flaming onyx eyes staring intensely at him, the male flinched.

"Ackerman! Uh...I-I didn't see you t-there, wha-" he stuttered.

"Eren _needs_ to be saved." She spat harshly, almost growling with anger. "_Where is Commander Erwin_?" She questioned in a quiet but deadly voice, her hand still had a vice grip on the male's jacket, which was only tightening.

"H-he's with the other o-officers, they just went to have a meeting down there," he motioned his head towards the buildings. "Look, Mikasa it's just a rumour I doubt they are actually plann-" He stopped talking as she harshly threw him away from her as she quickly turned on her heel, down the dusty street. She began to run towards her target: the meeting rooms. If it was true that Erwin had a plan to find and _save_ Eren, and she would be damned if she wasn't going to be involved in it.

* * *

The door to the meeting room swung open, revealing a lightly panting Mikasa Ackerman, hand still on the handle, arm in a sling. The group of occupants inside of the room immediately turned their heads towards the door, eyes glaring intently at the culprit who slowly made her way inside.

"Sir, is it true that yo-" she started

"**Ackerman**, what is the meaning of this?" Erwin scolded, eyes narrowed, he stood up from his seat. "You do not have permission to be here."

Levi sat to the right of Commander Erwin, elbows rested on top of the table in front of him, he was leaned over, hands lightly cupping one another and pressed against his chin. His slightly hooded, plain eyes drifted to Mikasa's form immediately, and caught sight of the sling that was around her arm.

_'So she _can_ follow a direct order.'_ He mused to himself, if only she followed _every_ order. His eye's drifted back to the cup of tea seated on the table before him.

"Yes, sir, I am aware, but if this is about Eren I want t-"

"Ackerman, do you enjoy disobeying orders, or is this just a shitty habit you possess?" the dull, deep voice of Levi ran through the air, it was rhetorical and mocking and he remained seated. His eyes still trained on the mug.

Mikasa's eyes shot over to Levi, narrowing and sending daring threats towards his direction: he was infuriating. She directed her gaze back to Commander Erwin quickly, "Sir, please, if there is a plan to save Eren, I want to part of it. I need to save him."

_"Tch."_ Levi scoffed not too quietly, as he lifted the mug and took a small sip of the warm liquid inside.

Erwin's gaze passed from Mikasa to Levi momentarily and then back, "Ackerman," he started, "As much as I admire your drive to help a friend in need, you are violating strict commands and rules. You, along with the rest of the soldiers will be informed in due time of any new plans. Now please, " he gestured his hand to the door, "_**leave**_."

Mikasa's eyed narrowed, "But sir, I don-"

Levi's eye's went back to Mikasa, still stood injured but determined by the door, just as another officer began to speak.

"Uh, Miss. Ackerm-"

"_Ackerman," _he began, cutting the officer off with no regard, "do you really believe you, in your current state would be of any use to us?" question Levi, blandly, interrupting his colleague casually.

The rest of the room remained silent, and Mikasa's eyes narrowed towards him again, her lips thinned as she bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt to distract her growing annoyance at the Lance Corporal.

His lidded blue eyes met her flaming coal orbs, "Well?" he pushed, he didn't like being ignored.

"I would be _fine_, sir. It is a minor injury, I would rather sa-"

"Minor?" Levi sighed inaudibly, rose from his seat casually and walked around the oak table, closing in on Mikasa. All eyes in the room remained on the duo. Levi stopped two feet away from her. "After last night, I'm not prone to believe that, Ackerman." He murmured, looking into her deep onyx eyes, he noted that they still looked tired and drained. But nontheless, disobiediant and infuriating as always.

"Last night is irrelevant,_ sir_." She spoke in a low voice. Levi tilted his head slightly to the left, eyes never leaving hers; she really did like pushing her luck.

Mikasa eyes stared intently back at him into those stoic, lidded eyes that seemed to hold nothing inside of them. They stared at one another, neither looking away almost as if the one who did would lose the unannounced challenge of dominance.

"Hm." He muttered mockingly, and twisted his head toward Erwin when her eyes faulted slightly under his gaze. "I will escort Miss. Ackerman out, Erwin. She requires a lesson on how to handle authority." Levi stated, "If anything else comes to light..."

"Very well, I'll keep you posted." Erwin spoke, eyes questioning the odd behavior of the two across the room. Levi nodded at Erwin and the rest of the occupant and turned back to Mikasa, eyes boring into her as she glanced at the floor. Her eyes looked past him to the rest of the people in the room, she didn't want to leave the room, she wanted to help with the plans to find Eren, she…

"Ackerman." Levi muttered to her, she quickly diverted her eyes to his face. "Go." He whispered, in a harsh whisper. Furrowing her eyebrows, she turned to face the door but didn't advance, there was no point in arguing around all the higher-ups, it'd only make it worse for her, but, Eren...

She felt a light pressure on her middle back and it got heavier in strength as it pushed her forwards, forcing her to move forward.

Levi's fingers were resting on her back, coaxing her out of the room. She bit her lip in annoyance and glared at the space in front of her as it if were the Corporal himself. She shook the hand off and walked out of the room abruptly, turning the corner harshly. The corner of Levi's mouth raised ever so slightly.

_'Such disobedience_.' he mused; it did quite amuse him nearly as much as it annoyed him. He turned to the room and signaled his leave, then walked out and closed the door behind him, following not so far behind the direction Mikasa went.

* * *

_Chapter 4 will be up laterz._


	4. 四

Disclaimer: Hajime Isayama is the rightful owner of Shingeki no Kyojin (**進撃の巨人**), I write out of pleasure and boredom and I am simply using his characters for my own story. _No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

* * *

The dark haired girl's harsh footsteps against the cold stone floor echoed as she stormed her way down the empty hallway. She was annoyed, tired and needed to get some air. Why did that bastard have to interject his nose into everything? Did he think it was his damn prerogative or something? Sure, he was a Corporal, but here she was; trying to find a way to save her Eren, desperate to help and all that the clean-freak, short assed, stuck up male could do was taunt and ridicule her. What did he have against her? Her arm was of no issue to her, she could still fight, it would heal soon; it would be _fine._ Why did he _insist_ on being so infuriating?

She pursed her lips together in substantial irritation and glared her eyes dangerously as she kept walking the long, desolate hall. Mikasa bit her lower lip a moment later - Corporal or not, she wanted to strangle his damn neck.

"Ackerman," Mikasa's body stiffened in annoyance, but she didn't stop moving, "If you don't want to be tied up and punished for being an insubordinate pig, I suggest you stop where you are." His voice called, dully. But it irked Mikasa and her lips clenched together as she halted in her tracks, the girl span around to face the man who was casually stalking her down the hallway, slight limp still evident in his light steps.

Exhaling harshly, she refrained from sending daggers his way, "Yes, sir?" she inquired, unsincerely.

"Don't act coy, Ackerman. Come with me." he drawled out passively, the blue eyes he possessed were lidded and unamused.

Her thin eyebrows slightly creased as she glanced at him approaching her, once reaching her he continued on, almost seeming like he didn't acknowledge her existence. She stood in place, and watched him and he walked down the hall.

"Failing to comply with another command?" he called from a few feet down the corridor. He turned his head slightly to the left, but not fully facing her when she didn't reply, "Are you that incompetent you can't follow simple instructions? Come." he ordered to her.

He wasn't stood still in the centre of the corridor for long before he heard her light footsteps sounding against the stone floor, walking towards him. He turned his head forward and continued on, her in tow.

* * *

"Sit."

Mikasa's black eyes went to the Corporal's face, "I am fine standing, sir." She replied as Levi closed the door, passing the desk he accurately placed a key down perpendicuar onto the surface and threw himself down onto a chair, arms folded neatly in front of his chest. His eyes stared blankly at her by the entrance and he said nothing, contemplating.

A few moments passed until Levi leant forward, resting his right arm against his slender leg. "Ackerman," he started, his eyes locked onto hers, "I don't take kindly to people who have issues with authority." He drawled and looked away from her for a moment, peering down at the desk for a brief moment, collecting his thoughts, but keeping a plain, placid face. "Is there a reason why you so desperately attempt to grate on my sanity?" he questioned, almost menacingly, as he turned to face her once again. Mikasa didn't respond at first, she stared blankly back at Levi's face in thought.

"I just wish to save Eren, sir. Attacking your sanity is currently not my intenti-."

"_Tch._ In your condition? Have I not said many times already you are unfit to do so?" he interrupted.

Mikasa's eyes narrowed as he continued, "You are a liability to the entire military in this condition, and you are too set on saving dear Eren you're blind to see it." Mikasa's lip twitched, "You will not be involved in the retrieval of Eren. It is no longer your concern, Ackerman." He spoke with no emotion, and Mikasa clenched her fists tightly and looked away from him for a moment, calming herself.

"You will be on leave from any and all military activity until you are _fully_ recovered." He rose from his seat, "_No exceptions_." He added as he glanced out of the window. "That is a _**command**_, Ackerman, so don't defy me." He warned as he turned to face her, eyes locking on hers. She scowled at him and bit her inner cheek roughly, refusing to respond until she had calmed herself, her mind was flooded with several ideas of beating the shit out of him for being so goddamn fu-

"Sir..." she started in a tense voice, but trailed off.

Levi began to slowly approach her, each step he took bringing him ever so closer to her, his eyes were half lidded and they never left hers for a second. It pulled Mikasa from her rampant thoughts but she refused to look away this time. She held her ground as he eventually stopped less than a foot away from her tensed body. His plain eyes stared softly into her onyx depths; she involuntarily leant back slightly at the overbearing aura and close proximity and slowly parted her dry lips to speak.

"Sir, I-"

"Ackerman," he murmured softly in a deep voice as he slowly leaned forwards closer towards her face, "don't", his stoic eyes stayed locked to hers and her breath seemed uneven, "say", her eyes widened as he got closer, "another", his lips parted slightly as he spoke the last syllable, "**word.**"

He straightened his body and turned to walk towards the window. "My word is final. No activity until I see you are fit enough to continue." There was a light hitch of his lips until it returned back to nothingness and he turned, "That is all. Shut the door on your way out." He ordered. "And get some rest, you look dreadful."

Mikasa's mouth lightly hung open, lips dry as she stared confused at her superior. What the hell was his problem? She narrowed her eyes and closed her mouth, forming a narrow line, _he was a bastard._

"Oh, and if I find out you've defied my command, you _will_ regret it, Ackerman." He warned.

Levi heard the soft click of the door behind him, and he turned his head and glanced at it before returning his gaze to the outside world through the open window in the wall.

* * *

Mikasa gripped her fist together and briskly walked down the hall. The Corporal had just taken her off of any of the future missions until her arm had recovered? She didn't know how to react when he spoke the words, this meant she couldn't help Eren…she was angry - no, she was _**pissed**_. She felt so helpless, how was she supposed to save and protect Eren if she couldn't even be involved with the missions to save him? She'd already failed once; she couldn't let it happen again.

She clenched her teeth together and narrowed her eyes, this was so unfair. Eren was her friend, she needed to protect him. Screw what the Corporal's orders were; she was going to save Eren with or without his fucking almighty permission.

* * *

Mikasa entered the canteen and immediately Armin's cheerful, young voice rang through the air and he greeted her with a warm smile. Her eyes lit up and she walked over to the table occupied with him, Jean, Connie and Sasha.

"_Mikasa!_" Sasha called, and leapt from her seat to run to her side, "Your arm, I heard what happened, are you okay? Does it hurt? Do you want food? Food always helps in these situations, perhaps potatoes or…meat!" Sasha rambled far too quickly, almost incoherently. Mikasa just smiled softly as the rest of the group laughed at the other girl, Connie lightly hitting her arm jokingly.

"I'm not hungry, thank you though Sasha." Sasha's eyed widened, _not hungry?_ Who would ever deny themselves of the delicious, warm mouthwatering food?! "And I'm fine. It's nothing major, it'll be fine soon." She added. "Are you feeling any better?" she questioned Armin, he nodded his head and smiled up at her from his seat.

"I'm fine now, Mikasa, it was just a minor hit to the head." He laughed awkwardly, refusing to remember the Titan's face…

Mikasa sat down on an empty seat and the group continued to eat, Mikasa stared into the distance at nothing, thinking. She clenched her fist softly, Eren was out there right now, God knows where and she was here - and could do nothing. She let her eyes droop and her hand came to cover her face softly, she was tired.

Jean kept glancing up at her and back down to his food, until he finally looked up at her and spoke up, "Mikasa, I heard you busted in on a meeting with the officers earlier," Mikasa inhaled softly, "what happened?"

The rest of the groups head shot up and diverted to Jean's face and then to Mikasa's. Sasha's yelp was heard from the table and Armin's eye's locked onto Mikasa.

"What?! Mika?" he questioned. She sat there momentarily and turned to face them, all their faces filled with curiosity. She waited a while before she responded.

"Nothing." She murmured out.

"Nothing?" Jean replied, not believing it whatsoever, Mikasa's gaze wandered to his.

"Hm." She responded, and gazed on to the distance again in thought of Eren.

"Mika! Why would you do that?" Armin's worried voice called to her; she diverted her tired eyes to him. "Was it about...Eren? The Titans? Have they found a way to find and rescue him?"

Mikasa's eyes looked down and she leant back against the chair, "I don't know. They wouldn't tell me." She spoke softly, there was a tint of anger evident in her voice. "I was told to leave the room before I had chance to find out anything." She added, voice becoming stiff as she picked up a spoon and twisted it in her fingers.

"And?" Connie questioned.

"Yeah, what happened after?" Jean pushed.

Mikasa's eyes rose to their faces and she sighed, hitting the hilt of the spoon against the wooden tale lightly she spoke, "And the damn Corporal kicked me out." She muttered, memories of his face playing on her mind, angering her.

Sasha's voice rang, "Didn't you get punished? He just let you go?" she asked curiously.

Mikasa dropped the spoon, closed her eyes and buried her face into her scarf. "No, he just let me go, nothing happened." She lied passively.

"Woah, that's surprising! The Corp. is usually unyielding with his punishments, he always makes me clean out the damned horses." complained Connie, Sasha nodded in agreement.

"I'm tired," Mikasa announced as she stood up from her seat, "I'm going to take a nap." She didn't bother pushing her seat under the table; she just walked away from the group and towards the door.

Armin never took his eyes off of Mikasa, and his eyes thinned slightly, she wasn't telling them something, he could feel it.

* * *

Mikasa dropped down onto her bed, the bed creaking under her weight slightly, she hadn't bothered to take off her uniform yet, she was too tired and too many things were playing on her mind. She raised a hand over her head and covered her eyes from the suns gaze that peeped through the open window. She grunted and got back up; she closed it and threw her jacket off, it landed on the cold stone floor. She threw herself back onto her bed and pulled the covers lazily over her body and closed her eyes.

"Eren…" she whispered softly as she drifted off into a deep sleep.

* * *

Levi had spent the majority of his day cleaning, after all; cleanliness was necessary. Without it, everything would just be a shit hole. Though still injured, he found it possible to do most cleaning tasks, the ones he couldn't do? Those were left to the damn pig's to clean.

"The horse stables still require cleaning, I suggest you go ahead and clean them now." He ordered dully to another military male, the man nodded ferociously, already covered in dust and dirt. He grabbed the broom and started to run towards the door, tripping over the bucket of dirty water as he neared it.

"_Tch, **watch where you're going**_." The Corporal scolded angrily. The soldier nodded his head again and climbed to his feet - Levi scared the shit out of him.

After dusting himself off, Levi stood and surveyed his completed task; it looked glorious, spotless, perfect he might say- if it wasn't for the stain that refused to leave the small red material chair. Try as he might, he couldn't get it out, what the offending stain was, he didn't know, but what Levi did know was that he hated it. He narrowed his eyes, he couldn't take it. He gripped a hold of the chair and threw it casually out of the window, it crashed moments later on the dirt ground below.

"_Argh_!" a male voice sounded loudly.

Levi's stoic face turned to face the open window; he strode slowly towards it and peered his head out casually. Down below, where the wreckage of the small chair was, the male soldier was on his backside a few centimeters from the crash site, sheer strict horror ran across his face, he shot his head up at Levi, lip quivering slightly.

"S-sir?" the boy must have thought he wanted him dead.

"Soldier, that could very well have been a Titan, though I do commend you for not being hit by it, nonetheless," He drawled, "watch where you are going next time."

"Y-yes, sir!" the scared voice called as he scrambled towards the stables, looking up in the air as he went.

"Corporal Levi!" a voice rang through the room, Levi turned from the window to the owner. "Commander Erwin has instructed me to inform you that he is grouping the Legion to advance on a mission to retrieve Eren Jäger, they will be grouping momentarily." He said in a loud, definite voice.

Levi nodded to the messenger and he glanced out of the square window towards the distance.

So it begins.

* * *

"Mikasa!" Armin's voice screamed through the room, "It's Eren! They're gathering...they're going to find him!" Mikasa's body shot up immediately.

"What? _Where?_" she asked quickly, Armin ran to her side.

"They're gathering in Trost, they're mounting an assault to go after them! They're calling for able people willing to go!" he spoke fast.

Mikasa wasted no time, she leapt from her bed and ran out the door, heading directly towards Trost and the gathering members.

* * *

_Thanks for reading._


	5. 五

Disclaimer: Hajime Isayama is the rightful owner of Shingeki no Kyojin (**進撃の巨人**), I write out of pleasure and boredom and I am simply using his characters for my own story. _No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

* * *

The setting sun sent bright, blazing heat down heavily against Mikasa's pale skin through her thin clothes, her feet hammering against the dry, dirty covered streets desperately, she zipped back and forth between people as she made her way quickly down the busy street toward here target: where the soldiers were gathering. Her breathing was rigid, harshly coming from her mouth in shallow pants as she grit her teeth harder with each hammering step she took. She was holding her arm to her chest protectively as not to catch it against anything while moving at a quickened pace through the crowded streets.

Not that far behind, Armin and Jean were running in tow, yelling for her to slow down for them. She soon reached a clearing where she could make out the gathering soldiers in the distance, she stopped for a moment and leant over to catch her breath and she suddenly gripped a hold of her arm as a searing pain shot up the length of it; gritting her teeth she bared the excruciating pain and stood up straight to keep on towards the group in the distance.

She soon arrived a few metres away, and she came to a skidding halt, dust gathering around her brown leather boots. Her breathing was levelling out and she looked around, there was less people than she expected, she scowled slightly.

"_Why aren't there more people here?"_ she questioned angrily as her eyes scanned over the people.

Occasionally, there were other soldiers that would appear to join the gathering, but it wasn't enough. Mikasa glanced down past her scarf to her sling, and creased her eyebrows together.

More woud come, she prayed, feeding her mind the much needed hope it required. Her dark, wary eyes focused on her scarf and she exhaled through her nose.

"Eren..." she murmured softly into the material as she buried her nose into it.

She ran her hand softly down her injured arm, just skimming over the material. It needed to go. She bent her good arm behind her head and gripped the knot that was resting against her neck; pulling it roughly to untie the thin material, it loosened and began to fall downwards towards the dusty floor. Mikasa grit her teeth as the support disappeared; she reached out and caught the material before it hit the ground. She looked at it momentarily, her hand tightened around it, before tossing it aside herself.

Her arm was lightly pulsing and the overwhelmingly nagging pain shot up her arm again, it hurt, a lot, but she had to bear it, she couldn't let them leave without her. She needed to save him.

Distracting her mind from the pain, she took a deep breath and walked closer into the crowd of people, her eyes skimmed over the soldiers faces, and they landed on Sasha wide eyed face, she soon spotted Mikasa and squeezed by other members' bodies to reach her.

"Mikasa!" she called to her as she reached her, "Armin found you, thank go- where's your sling?" she cut herself off, puzzled.

"I don't need it anymore; my arm's feeling fine now." Mikasa's lied and forced a light smile as she diverted her eyes.

At the front of the group, Commander Erwin stood with Hanji and Levi. Hanji stood with a happy gleam in her face as usual; Erwin was stood upright, completely still, facing the growing group of people with a commanding aura emitting fiercely from his body. Levi had his back pressed against the wall behind them, slouched against it, uncaring, his hooded eyes staring off into the distance, occasionally glancing at the group, seemingly indifferent to the situation. Hanji seemed to be talking to Levi, but he seemed uninterested in whatever ramblings she had to offer.

When Mikasa's eyes locked onto Levi, her heart froze in place and she immediately ducked down and moved to cover, just missing his passing eyes as he surveyed the group.

_'Shit.'_ She cursed to herself, _'If he finds out I'm here…'_

"Mikasa?" questioned Sasha, her eyebrows raising comically, confused at her odd behaviour.

Mikasa raised her eyes up at Sasha who was stood over her, peering down, perplexed.

"It's nothing! I just-_nothing_!" She quickly responded, as she rose up and kept behind Sasha's body to shield herself from any unwanted eyes. Sasha eyes widened at her odd behaviour and response but calmed slightly once Mikasa smiled at her.

Mikasa's eyes narrowed lightly as she peeped her head out past the female soldier, Levi was still stood there, unmoving. She needed to be stealthy in order to not be caught.

* * *

"Levi," Erwin called to him, "I'll leave you in command as usual while I am gone. If it is a success, we should have accomplished our mission in no more than 4 days, any longer," he continued, "you know what to expect."

Levi turned his head towards the Commander and nodded his head in acknowledgement, "Yes." He diverted his gaze past the crowding soldiers shortly after and narrowed his eyes; he could have sworn he saw…

_'Surely she doesn't have that much of a death wish that she'd go against my orders.'_ He thought dryly to himself.

He kept his plain face and he pushed himself from the stone wall and stood up straight, after adjusting his cravat, he moved forwards towards the crowd, searching.

* * *

"Armin, Jean!" Sasha called happily, "We're over here!" she waved her hand back and forth vigorously in the air to signal their location within the crowd, Armin and Jean soon made their way through the mass of people.

"Mikasa, you're so fast, slow down next time! You know we're not nearly as fast as you." panted Armin as he leaned over and rested his hands on his knees for the much required support. His eyebrow raised in question when she didn't respond. "Mika?" he questioned softly as he approached her. His eyes caught sight of her arm, "Your sling…" She still seemed off in her own world, almost on the defensive from something.

He thinned his lips and gripped her shoulder lightly, "Mika-"

"Armin!" she called as she span and saw who had touched her, taking her eyes off Levi, eyes wide. Armin glanced worriedly at her.

"She said her arm is all better now," chimed Sasha happily.

Armin's eyes narrowed, he couldn't believe that. "Really, Mikasa?" he questioned; she nodded softly and smiled at him.

"Yes." she replied simply.

"But-" he was interrupted.

"I bet it's because she ate lots of food in secret, just like I do som-!" almost as quickly as she had begun, she stopped and immediately clamped her hand over her small mouth, eyes wide in horror as if she'd seen a ghost right before her.

"**Ackerman.**" An impassive, dry voice shattered through the group like a bullet through glass.

Mikasa's dark eyes widened and her breath hitched in her throat as she span her body around instantaneously. _Shit._

Levi's phlegmatic aura surrounded the group, his eyes trained on Mikasa, looking at her as if she was his prey, with such intensity as though he would pounce at her at any given second.

"Corporal!" Armin called as he stood at attention, perfectly as ever. Jean and Sasha followed suit shortly after, Sasha's eyes were still wide with panic, what if he'd heard about her eating habits?!

Levi didn't acknowledge them as he stepped forwards towards Mikasa, whose mouth was slightly hung open as she stared at him, not once blinking.

"Did I not make myself clear, Ackerman?" he spoke, almost dangerously.

"Sir." She replied briskly, she averted her gaze down to the ground, though she didn't answer his question. She couldn't think, her mind was a mess, so many thoughts rushed through it, worry, anger and disappointment. She'd been found out, she was so fucked.

There was absolutely no way in hell she'd be able to go with the rest of the group onto the mission now, _shit._

"You really do make it quite the habit, don't you, Ackerman? Must I remind you, but when it comes to teaching somebody discipline, I believe _pain_ is the most effective way." he spoke quietly to her, voice dipped in hidden anger.

Mikasa clenched her teeth and she heard Sasha's squeak from behind her.

Levi kept his imperturbable stare, it was locked on to her, refusing to move, scrutinising her as she stood there, staring at the ground like a child whose parents just found out they'd stolen a cookie. Inside he was piqued, "Your arm," he started, voice deep and controlled a contrast to his inner feelings. Mikasa's gaze rose slightly, but avoided his face; she frowned and bit her bottom lip harshly in irritation. "I distinctly remember you adorning a sling and bandage earlier today, Ackerman." his voice was strong and slightly accusing.

"I no longer require it, sir." She spoke softly, and looked back down towards the ground.

"Oh?" he asked mockingly but he kept a calm, poised face for a moment; he kept watch on her face, tracing the lines the almost set sun's beams cast across her pale face, it made her glow in an annoying way, he thought. He cast his gaze back down to her arm, she still unconsciously protected it. His eyes thinned and sent daggers towards her.

"Look at me when I speak to you." He demanded, but her gaze didn't move. _Stubborn fucking brat._ He unexpectedly took long stride towards her and gripped her arm jolting her towards him, the other gripped a handful of her hair and pulled harshly, forcing her head up to be on level with his gaze, her eyes immediately shot open to meet his. "I also remember restricting you from any military activity, Ackerman. So what the _fuck_ are you doing here?" he sneered, eyes changing from his usual stoic to raging anger. Mikasa opened her mouth to speak, but refrained and scowled at him. She said nothing.

Armin, Jean and Sasha all stood, watching it unfold before them. Mikasa was banned from any military action? Armin's gaze went to her face, eyes filled with worry and sorrow as she was being gripped by the Corporal, he was angry, he'd seen him unyielding, but never angry. And her arm…she'd lied, she said she was okay; she'd go through that much pain, put others in danger…just to save Eren? Armin exhaled and closed his eyes in thought. Sasha clenched her eyes shut and wished lightning would strike her down dead right there, so she could just disappear.

"_Tch_." scoffed Levi, as he released Mikasa's dark hair. She stayed in place, eyes looking drained and defeated; he turned to her, eyes plain. "Come." He ordered, his voice back to its dull self. Her footsteps softly sounded against the floor and she slowly made her way toward Levi, he turned and continued to walk, and she followed.

Levi walked down the streets, the light limp was not so evident today in his strong steps, Mikasa trailing behind, her head hung in defeat following the contemptible Corporal.

She should have been more damn careful…if she had just managed to keep hidden a while longer she'd have been on my way out to save Eren right now. Mikasa scowled and mentally beat herself up, if Eren didn't return with them, it'd be her fault for failing to sway from the Corporal's eagle eyes.

He glanced back at her, calling for her to hurry up, her eyes narrowed at the bastard in front of her. He had no idea how much she wanted to beat the shit out of him.

* * *

"Ackerman, yet again you fail to abide by my order, I really am beginning to think you have a _death_ wish."

Mikasa stood in front of his wooden desk, arm still pulsing while Levi slouched in his chair, he'd poured himself a cup of hot tea, which sat on a coaster to his left, and his eyes never left Mikasa as he spoke - but she didn't respond.

"Are you that selfish you'd put your own desires before your comrades safety?" he asked briskly, irritation rising from the stubborn teens motives and actions.

Mikasa furrowed her eyebrows, "No, sir."

"_Then why is it_, you cannot see what an _incompetent_, stubborn _brat_ you are?" Mikasa's eyes seemed impassive for a moment, but they let out some form of anger, Levi took note.

Levi took a different approach, "You're angry I found you amongst the crowd?" he questioned, she raised her eyes to him, "It was not difficult." He spoke, egotistically as he rose from his seat and traipsed over to her. "If however, I had not found you, and you had gone on the expedition, the chances of Eren coming back would plummet even more. You are a liability, Ackerman. You can't even wield two swords." He lectured, motioning lightly to her unslinged arm, "How would you manage in the Maneuver Gear?" he questioned rhetorically. "You'd be useless."

Something inside Mikasa snapped, and she bit her lip hard, the sharp tang of blood hit her tongue. Her fist balled as she watched Levi with dark, raging eyes and she turned to leave, heading for the door.

"_You would be a cause of the brats death._"

A second hadn't had time to pass before Mikasa shot around in a precipitous blur, glowering like a raging fire, hurling an unhesitating look of death at Levi that would have others shaking to their core, and sent her arm hurtling towards him. Levi's form seemingly dissipated from its spot and the very next thing Mikasa felt was her body being slammed against the rough, hard wall with aggressive force.

The impact sending a sharp pain down her injured arm and she winced, letting out a grunt at the impact. His left hand gripped a hold of her wrist and slammed it above her head, the other grasped her pale skinned neck. Making sure she had no way to retaliate and no way to attempt to hit him again, he pressed his lithe, muscular body roughly against hers. Levi's eyes narrowed precariously as they bore into her eyes.

"Get the fuck off of me, you bastard! I'm going to fucking ki-!"

Levi forced his hand harder into her throat, not allowing her to continue her sudden outburst.

"That was a mistake, Ackerman." He murmured grievously to her, ignoring her thrashing and heated attempts to escape, his head moved closer to hers, voice lower this time, "I try to admire your valour and daring nature, but my patience is wearing thin. I do, however, suggest you don't try such a thing ever again. You will be restrained and beaten like a _worthless sack of shit._" he spoke softly to her, though the tone and the tightening of his grip emphasised the very plausible threat, and Mikasa could feel the pissed aura of the Corporal engulf her.

There was no answer to his less than passive threat from the girl. Nothing but those intransigent eyes that pierced into him, glaring annoyingly strong, boldly declaring that Mikasa would likely strike like a serpent if he were to make one false movement.

A moment passed in silence.

"It's peculiar..." Levi spoke, blue, eagle eyes not leaving Mikasa's face, as if he was attempting to discern something from her glowering hues, "Why is it, that you insist on wrecking my sanity, tormenting my thoughts as of late?"

"How the fuck would I know, you clean frea-" at her words, his grip tensed, tightening around her slender neck.

"I shall not tell you again about such language, Ackerman. Watch your tongue." he sneered.

Moments passed and Levi stared glaring at the fiery female, a small scoff escaped his mouth, followed by a meek smirk. His hand loosened on her neck, but Mikasa's relieved sigh was caught in her throat as his fingers trailed down her skin to her jawline, fingers splayed across her cheek and lightly dug in, and he roughly angled her face so that she was facing him directly. Levi lowered his face slowly towards hers, his breath came out in sharp, warm puffs that fanned against her face at their close proximity.

"You are so..." he leaned in marginally closer, nose mere millimetres from brushing against hers, his eyes were lidded more than usual and his mouth hung open, he pushed his strong body into hers more, pushing her further into the wall, "_fucking infuriating._" He murmured against her, his lips skimming over her ivory skin moving towards her plush lips.

Mikasa's heart sped up like a jackhammer, her breathing came out at a quickened pace, mingling with Levi's minty, clean breath. She was unaware of his intentions, his plan - though her thoughts were ripped from their roots the moment his lips locked with hers.

The shared kiss was surprisingly soft, warm lips meshing together, carefully pressing against one another, but it ended as quickly as it had occurred.

Levi retreated his head away, keeping his hand on her jaw, Mikasa simply stared dumbstruck.

"Oh?" he questioned, "Ackerman, why aren't you thrashing around like a fish on land?" Levi taunted blandly, noting how this kiss tasted lightly of blood. Her breathing had thickened, her chest rose and fell, his eyes locked with hers mockingly, "Were you thinking of me, or your _dear_ Eren?"

That thought sparked Mikasa to react, pulling against him in anger. Levi gripped her wrist tighter, and pushed back with hardly any force.

Mikasa's chest rose and fell in hefty pants of annoyance, "What the fuck was that? Have you lost your fucking mind?" she spat through gritted teeth, glowering dangerously at the male before her, attempting to wriggle free from his hand still.

"Ackerman." responded Levi, voice stoic but heavy, he wondered what drove the girl to be such a brat, enough that it grated upon his sanity, Mikasa seemed to be the only one capable of having that undenied effect on him, "One more..." he let out a soft breath, "and you will regret it entirely."

Levi's head dipped back to her lips and Mikasa tensed against the kiss, doing what she could to shove Levi away from her, but the damned bastard was too much for her to move with just one arm.

"And _who_ knows?" Levi whispered softly in response to her prior question, almost not audible. Mikasa felt Levi's lips brushing against hers once more. "Ah, no more shitty threats?"

Mikasa grit her teeth in annoyance.

_ Had the clean freak lost his fucking marbles? What the fuck was this?_

Levi murmured something more against her swollen lips, but the girl couldn't make it out, he pulled back enough to grab a hold of Mikasa's chin to angle her face for better access. When Levi saw the murderous rage and intent in Mikasa's eyes, the corner of his mouth raised in what appeared to be a sly smirk.

"Get," Mikasa's breath caught as he kissed the start of her jawline, slowly trailing down it, "off of…me" Mikasa managed to pant out, boiling with disgust. "before I kill you."

Levi raised his eyes to her defiant, disobidiant orbs, and simply stared for a moment before speaking, "Ah, _there_ they are. I spoke too soon." Levi paused.

The room was deadly silent for a few passing moments and then he dipped his head down in an almost uncertain way.

He froze, his eyes closed for a brief moment. The grip on Mikasa's arm that resided above her loosened, until her arm fell limply to her side, he placed his hand on the wall next to her head, still pinning her against it. Levi let out a harsh exhale, his fingers clenched against the wall and just as quickly as he had been against her, he was gone.

He faced away from the girl, and raised his hand to his face, running his masculine hands through his dark strands of hair. The room was silent again, and the only audible sounds were the birds songs chiming through the glass window. Levi let out another harsh, wavering sigh that shot through the near silenced room. Mikasa kept her eye's trained on his back, watching cautiously, unsure what to do.

Levi clenched his fist and inhaled, opening his eyes, staring at the wall across the room.

"Ackerman." his voice was stiff but unemotional, "Get the hell ou-"

_**Bang, bang, bang.**_

Mikasa's eye's shot to the wooden door.

"Corporal Levi, sir!" a voice called from behind the door behind them.

* * *

_Kinda changed the end/kiss a little bit.  
_


	6. 六

Disclaimer: Hajime Isayama is the rightful owner of Shingeki no Kyojin (**進撃の巨人**), I write out of pleasure and boredom and I am simply using his characters for my own story. _No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

**Chapter 6:  
**

* * *

Levi's eyes went to the left and scowled as if the door wasn't inanimate. He turned back to Mikasa. Her breathing was mostly even and calm now, and his stoic face stared at hers breifly. Her eyes were hooded slightly as they stared at the offending door, the irises expanded in caused anticipation, mouth open and she was furrowing her slender eyebrows. He blinked and diverted his gaze down to the ground to gather his thoughts.

Exhaling, Levi ignored the irritation he felt at himself and walked to the door; opening it slightly, just enough to see out, but not enough so the intruder could see in.

Mikasa watched as Levi opened the door, careful not to allow the perpertrator's eyes entry into the pristine clean office. She lifted her hand softly to her lips, the skin still tingled lightly as if his lips were still present. Lowering her head, causing her coal coloured hair to shield her eyes, she let out a shaky breath and clenched her fist into a ball.

After a few quite mumbles between the two at the entryway, Levi nodded and closed the door to without clicking it shut, keeping it open slightly, only to turn and face Mikasa once again, "I am required elsewhere." He stated plainly, eyes hooded and dull - back to his usual self.

Mikasa said nothing, she was already on her way towards the door, head still facing down, hair hiding her features from his scrutinising gaze. She slid past him fluidly, and gripped the door handle he had just released; she hesitated as if she wanted to say something, but nothing left her mouth, the only sound that followed was the door creaking open, and then clicking shut. Subsequently, silence engulfed the room.

Levi inhaled and turned to glance at the door, a passive look clouded his eyes

* * *

Mikasa feet carried her hurriedly down the hall way from Levi's office; she never once lifted her head, her hand clenched in a makeshift fist as she bee-lined through people, heading straight towards her room.

What in the fucking almighty hell had just happened? She had…kissed him. She kissed Levi. _Corporal_ Levi. _Corporal fucking_ _Levi_, and she had - No. She scowled at herself; she had not enjoyed it, whatsoever. It was disgusting, terrible, absolutely despicable - what the fuck was he doing? Why had he done that, was he out of his shitting mind? She let out an audible growl as she swung her door open, slamming it shut behind her; she needed to cool down, she was so worked up from what had occurred. She slammed her hand against her desk, and then threw herself onto her stiff bed, it creaked under her weight.

**_You would be the cause of the brat's death._**

That had been her undoing; she'd gotten mad, incredibly so, it made her lose control of herself...why would he even say such a thing? Her eyes were a confused mix of sadness and anger. She didn't know what the fuck she was supposed to be feeling.

She felt confused, toyed with, angry…so many emotions flooded her mind. She gripped her head and shook it to rid her mind of the unwanted things. Her lips still tingled slightly, and she bit her bottom lip to hide the feeling, not liking the memory that was attached to it.

_''Eren, I need you…'_' she whispered into the thin air before her before she let out a shaky breath and closed her eyes, drifting into a light sleep.

* * *

Levi's mind had been gradually slipping back to that of which had occurred the day prior. He'd fallen asleep with her face plaguing his mind, memories of what had transpired between the two. Her defiant onyx eyes played on his mind, he didn't know what it was about her, but she truly did entice him, more than he felt comfortable with. He felt a inkling of desire to push the girl, to test her limits with him, and this perplexed Levi greatly.

He'd finished his reports for the day, and set them down on his desk, picking up the cup of tea he'd poured not long ago, lifting it to his lips, he took a sip. He peered down bewildered, the tea was cold. Perhaps he was caught up thinking of her longer than he had first thought. He set the cup back down and sighed softly, annoyed. He'd not seen her all day, he was quite sure she was avoiding him.

_'Silly woman.'_ He mused to himself as he rose from his seat, dusting off some dirt from his boot.

Later that evening, after spending the rest of his day cleaning, Levi glanced out of the window he was situated next to, he was fond of looking at the setting sun and rising moon, it reminded him that there were somethings you couldn't control. Though, he was sure controlling the sun and moon would be a much easier task than controlling Mikasa Ackerman.

That thought didn't amuse him.

He stared out of the window, the evening sky was tinged red and the colour immediately reminded him of that annoying piece of old material Mikasa wore religiously.

"That girl," he mumbled softly. "such fucking nuisance."

His mind began to divert to when they were hunting the Female Titan, she was too eager to save Eren's life and was willing to rush in without formulating a plan based on strategy. Her furious, determined eyes when she looked up at him and said she'd protect Eren, no matter what. What drove her to need to protect the boy so much? It baffled Levi beyond reason. And it had also gotten him injured.

His mind slipped to the thoughts of the day before, how her body was pressed against his, leaving no room between the two of them, her slim body sliding against his and he pushed her roughly into the wall, and her lips… Levi blinked.

"_Tch._" How did such a disobedient brat affect him in such a way? This was absurd.

He shook his head to get rid of the unnecessary thoughts. He concentrated his eyes downward, on the ground below. Coincidentally, there was a silhouette outside, making their way back away from the direction the infirmary was located, he narrowed his eyes. His suspicions were affirmed when his eyes locked onto the new cloth sling supporting their arm and a crimson scarf around the silhouette's neck. He continued staring, eyes never leaving her moving form.

* * *

Mikasa sighed softly to herself, slightly tired. She nimbly jumped up onto a spot on a nearby wall, not too high off the ground. Her eyes rose up into the sky, looking at the nearly set sun, it was getting dark, which meant she should be inside, _it was past curfew_.

But her mind was taxed with too many thoughts to be worried with such things. Most of the others had left on the mission with the Commander and co. She felt alone. She missed Eren, she needed him back here, he was all she really cared for, and she was confused; by how Levi acted the day before, his actions, and even how she _didn't_ react.

She exhaled deeply.

A black silhouette began to advance slowly towards her, her eyes shot up, glaring at it.

"Ackerman," Mikasa's ears perked up, "it's past curfew." His stoic voice informed her, and as he got closer, she could make out his face.

"Needed air." She replied, dryly.

"There is air everywhere, Ackerman, _even inside_." Levi drawled dryly, not accepting her shitty reasoning - he noticed how her eyes refused to meet his. "Perhaps there's," he mockingly tilted his head in fake thought, "something else on that fucked up mind of yours?"

There was no response from her, though he saw how she clenched her jaw as she tilted her head down, shielding her face with her dark hair.

His half lidded eyes stared at her, his mocking gone to waste, "Get inside." He ordered.

She grit her teeth and jumped from the wall, landing with a thud, and made her way past him, towards her room.

"Ackerman, I do believe my office is the opposite direction." He drawled, her eyes narrowed.

_What?_

"You're outside after curfew; do you not remember that such a thing is breaking the rules? My office, _now._"

* * *

"As you are incapable of following set rules and regulations, Ackerman, perhaps it'd do you well to not stray from my presence." He suggested, only, it wasn't a suggestion; it was a command, sugar coated with rich bullshit.

"Sir, I don't think that is necessary, I don't-"

"Ackerman, you forget your position, **_again_**." He spoke dangerously, Mikasa's eyes narrowed at him. "You shall accompany me, all day, every day, do whatever I say, until I see you fit to manage authority alone."

"Are you sure this isn't some bullshit way to keep me around you for your own reasons?" she questioned accusingly. Levi's face didn't change, showing no emotion, he simply stared.

"Something only a sack of shit would think." He replied and he leant against his desk, crossing his arms before him against his muscled chest.

Mikasa's face remained as emotionless as she could make it, but below the fires were raging, ready to erupt, she wanted to rip his stupid little cravat off and shove it down his damned throa-

"Does it bother you?"

She looked at him, feigning a perplexed face, but her heart clenched knowing what he meant, "Does what, sir?"

Levi's gaze rose, and he made his way towards her, she instinctively backed up, not sure she liked the idea of being close to him right now, but for every one step away she took, he took one forward. But the room was only so big.

"That the brat didn't get to claim your first kiss?"

Mikasa grit her teeth. Silence engulfed the room until Mikasa spoke, her voice sounding forced. "What makes you think it was my first?"

Levi locked eyes with her and took another step forward, his eyes never left hers and he seemed to search them for something.

"I can tell."

"Because I'm sure you've had your way with many women, right, sir?" she asked in a dry tone, not really expecting or wanting a response from the older man.

Levi stared passively at Mikasa, his eyes overinhibited. "That is personal information, Ackerman." he replied, dully.

Levi took another step toward the girl, and Mikasa's movements finally came to a halt. Her head turned to the right as she was met with the cabinet behind her. Her eyes shot back to Levi, unsure.

"Ackerman, I think you need to calm down…" he forwardly scoffed, his eyes remained their usual stoic shade.

Mikasa's eyes sent threats of pain if he took one step closer to her, even as a taunt - she was on the defensive.

Levi was winning their little unannounced war.

"What exactly do you want, sir?" Mikasa shot at him abruptly.

The Corporal's response didn't come immediately, before it did, he turned and walked back to his desk, picking up a pen as he sat down behind it.

"Were you not listening _again, Ackerman_?" he mummured out in annoyance and he rubbed his temple with his free hand. "I told you, you're a liability and fail to listen to commands even a shit covered monkey could follow." Levi raised his semi lidded eyes up to the girl by his cabient. "Perhaps you will learn some disipline if I hammer it into your pathetic skull." he spoke, almost uninterested.

Mikasa bit her lip in growing annoyance.

_Dick._

Levi's gaze, which was locked with the girls, looked down at the clock on the desk.

"Leave, I've had enough of your shit today already." he cleared his throat softly as he turned his attention solely to a document on his desk, seemingly forgetting Mikasa was even present.

The girl's eyes narrowed at the man sat at his desk, she let out a soft scoff at the man and turned to head for the door.

"And Ackerman," he called after her, his voice poised and void of care, "don't let me find you out after curfew again."

The door clicked shut.

* * *

_"Mikasa..."_

_"Eren..?" her voice softly called.  
_  
_Mikasa took another step forward, eyes locked onto her target.  
_

_It was him._

_"Eren!"  
_  
__His pliant lips formed a soft line and he looked at her intently.__

___When he spoke, however, his voice wasn't Eren's.___

"Ackerman..."

* * *

Mikasa shot up, sitting straight as her head spun wildly, tilting the room from side to side. She clutched at her head it to bring its spinning to a sudden halt. She was breathing harshly as she stared at the dark walls of her plain room. Sweat beads danced mockingly against her porcelain skin. It was just a dream…

Just a dream.

The wind howled softly outside her room, as it creeped through the gaps in the window and into Mikasa's room, coiling around her and cooling her warm body with its fresh embrace. The onyx haired soldier glanced towards her window with a disconcerting frown. Had she left the window open?

Shaking her head, she buried her face into her pillow as she laid back down against the bed. What the hell was that dream, anyway?

That night as she drifted back into an unaware, sleeping state, the last face she saw was not that who usually resided in her thoughts.

* * *

Mikasa's feet softly sounded against the cold stone floor as she walked sluggishly towards the dresser, her sleepy mind was still on the odd dream that she'd had the night before, the odd happenings muddling her already volatile mind, causing her to frown in annoyance. It made no sense to her, but she knew she shouldn't be focusing on such things, dreams didn't mean anything; they were after just dreams. She opened the old wooden dresser and pulled out clean clothes.

Her mind passed over on the mulling's of the dream and quickly went to a topic that she very quickly regretted focusing on, it made her eyebrows narrow; Corporal Levi. As much as it displeased her, her mind was transfixed on her reactions to the occurrence between them, how could she have acted that way? Was she insane? Did she even know how old the bastard was, not only that, he was her commanding officer for fuck sake, it was just wrong! Against her own will, her lips involuntarily tingled at the memory of his warm lips, grazing against hers, softly pressing agains-

No.

Mikasa jolted her head quickly from her ridiculous, disgusting thoughts, what the hell was the man's problem? Did he really get a damn kick from playing with her? Fucking with her head? He really was a bastard, and he didn't know his boundaries, apparently.

She bit her lip, disgusted with herself. Disgusted at him. He was toying with her, messing with her mind, confusing her, making her feel things she didn't like, nor understood. He really was worse than she had initially thought when she had first encountered him, and the day he beat Eren mercilessly.

"Eren…" she exhaled audibly, here she was focusing her energy on the Corporal and Eren was out there, in danger. Her mind seemed so preoccupied she hadn't noticed her mind hadn't focused much on him the past day, and that alone made her grit her teeth in irritation.

Why was that? She…_loved_ Eren, why wasn't she thinking of him - and why was her mind transfixed on the actions of her commanding officer? Eren was out there alone, soldiers in pursuit after their first failure. She didn't know what was wrong with her, or Levi for that matter, all she knew was that she wanted to punch his controlled, fucking emotionless face - _hard._

She nodded her head in mock agreement with her thoughts.

But, Mikasa couldn't deny she hadn't found herself able to stop thinking of the happenings. And she couldn't, for the life of her, explain why.

Mikasa shook her head furiously.

She needed to give up on the pointless thoughts and memories, they were only adding to her confused mind the more she dwelled on them; she just needed to forget anything ever happened between her and the Corporal. It was just a kiss - even if had been her first real one.

She let out a quick exhale through her slender nose, and pursed her lips, looking down at her arm; she traced a thin finger across the material that she'd gotten replaced the night prior, before her encounter. She'd removed the sling, feeling it really wasn't necessary anymore at all, it seemed to be healing. She gently tensed her muscles, flexing her fingers slowly, though pain was still lightly evident from the movement, she was able to move her arm a little more freely and her fingers were able to move without the agonising pain shooting through her arm.

Mikasa's mood quickly lightened; perhaps if her arm healed soon she would be able to be back into combat, and maybe then she'd be able to protect Eren once he was saved - once the almighty Corporal Levi allowed it, of course.

Her mood then dropped, as did her eyebrows and she frowned. She really needed to stop doing that, thinking of that bastard Corporal for no reason.

It annoyed Mikasa to no end.

She carefully lifted her arms up and began unbuttoning the buttons of her shirt, throwing it to the floor aimlessly.

* * *

"Ackerman, you're finally awake."

Mikasa tensed, her body momentarily froze as a cold chill sweeping against the back of her neck and down her spine as his deep, unemotional voice hit her ears, but she refused to show her rigid disposition so freely. And slowly, Mikasa turned. Levi had seen her reaction, but his face didn't alter to show otherwise.

"What do you want?" she was sure even with him being a commanding officer, he shouldn't be stalking into the girls dorm area like a creep - though she supposed him being _humanity's greatest soldier_, people didn't question him in that regard. Even so...what the hell was he doing here?

"_Tch,_" he scoffed at her disrespect, "don't act stupid, Ackerman." he pushed himself off of the wall fluidly from where he'd been leaning and took several steps toward her - he stopped, his dull eyes inspecting her, "You remember what I said last night? You're not to leave my presence from now on, unless I see fit to allow it; punishment, for your shit headed, insubordinate ways." He drawled, almost with a bored tone, his eyes never altered once as he spoke to her.

Mikasa teeth clenched, was he seriously going along with that _bullshit_?

"Now come, the next time I won't wait for you to wake, I shall have a bucket of water thrown on you. " Mikasa sent a hefty glare his way, "Waiting for you to finally get your ass up has wasted valuable time."

_Ha._

Mikasa reluctantly followed after him, "Time for _what_?"

Levi's voice seemed to lighten ever so slightly, "Cleaning."

* * *

_Booom. Done._


	7. 七

Disclaimer: Hajime Isayama is the rightful owner of Shingeki no Kyojin (進撃の巨人), I write out of pleasure and boredom and I am simply using his characters for my own story. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

Chapter 7:

* * *

Harsh rays of sun were beating down as the duo soon arrived outside of the building. Once nearing the horse stables, Levi turned fluidly to face Mikasa, his eyes still dull and void of emotion as ever.

The coal haired girl glanced at Levi for a brief moment, slender eyebrows lightly bunched up, and then diverted her gaze toward the stables, "You want me to help clean these?"

Levi's eyebrow rose mimicingly, slightly in mild amusement. "No, Ackerman.". At his blunt reply, Mikasa gave him a perplexed looked just before he continued, "I expect you to clean these _alone_."

_"What?"_

"I will stand by and keep watch - I can't have you disappearing or assuming my orders do not apply to you, can I, Ackerman?" he spoke dryly, his voice held a condescending tone as if to attempt to irritate her further.

It worked.

Her onyx eyes twitched slightly, fighting sending a glare in his direction. "Sir, my arm. How do y-"

"You insist so regularly that it's…" he narrowed his eyes slightly, putting emphasis on his next word, "_fine,_ that I'm surely prone to believe your shitty little _lie_." His gaze dropped down to her arm briefly and noted her lack of sling.

Mikasa grit her teeth and sent daggers towards the Corporal, she really did hate him. He was seriously fucking with her, that little fucking bastar-

"Get on with it." He interrupted her rampant thoughts, "And if it's not to my standards, Ackerman, you'll do it all again, from scratch."

Mikasa sent out a sharp huff of air and watched as Levi then turned on his heel and traipsed toward the stone steps by the well where he leaned down and dusted a portion off with his hand - if Mikasa could have seen his dull face, she assumed he would be holding a scowl of disgust from the dust now occupying his digits.

She scoffed softly to herself as she watched him sit down against the stone, slouching back slightly with his arms against the steps after clearing his fingers. The girls eyes skimmed over his face as the male closed his sharp eyes for a moment and raised his head upward. Dark eyes travelled up his defined jaw as the rays of the sun slid against his toned skin, warming it with its generous heat.

Mikasa glowered suddenly.

_Tch, just get comfy, you damned bastard._ She cursed flamingly at the Corporal, trying to ignore how her eyes had glided over his face and neck in a way she both loathed and was oddly intriged by. She quickly diverted her eyes away. She was definitely not looking him over. His eagle eyes opened lazily, and rose to meet her figure still stood there in the exact same spot.

"Ackerman," he called dully, "get on with it," he repeated, "before I come back over there and kick you head first into the shit covered stables myself."

Mikasa's eyes narrowed and she resisted the urge to retort back. She turned and grabbed the shovel that was leant against the outer stone wall of the stable and glanced down at her scarf. She didn't want it to get covered with anything - it was Eren's, and she had to keep it clean…

Levi's eyes stayed fixated on her slender figure from behind, she seemed distracted, but at what, he didn't know.

"Oi, Ackerman." He called to her, sounding dull, but curiosity was held somewhere within his tone.

Seemingly pulling her from her thoughts, Mikasa turned and sent a half glare at him and placed the shovel back against the wall. Levi raised his eyebrow slightly. What the fuck was the girl doing..?

Before Levi had time to call out to her again, she gripped a hold of the adorning red scarf and began unwinding it from her slender neck and folded it; walking to the wall behind her, she placed it carefully on the stone and turned back to the stables, never gracing Levi with a look once.

"Perhaps removing your jacket would be wise, also." He called dryly from his throne.

"I will be fine, sir."

She didn't look at him even then when she responded, nor did she heed his advice, being stubborn and refusing to acknowledge the logic behind it.

_Stubborn girl._

Levi digressed, reclining back against stone steps more and watched Mikasa as she attempted to shovel the shit from the ground within the stable; she held the shovel awkwardly in her hands, but still refusing to admit it was not _fine._

She'd been at it for a while now, carrying the new hay and trying to clean the older hay away. The entire time, he continued to watch her move, clearly her arm was still not recovered, but she was fighting through, her pride and resolve as strong as ever to not admit weakness.

The matured male's eyes watched her as she raised her hand to her face, brushing the few damp strands of hair from her eyes and forehead with the back of her dirtied hand. He inwardly grimaced as the dirt touched her pale face, marring it with its dark colour. Her lips were parted softly as she breathed quick, harsh breaths from slight exhaustion and the pulsing heat that beat down onto her body; but she still carried on, fighting against her want to stop.

His sharp eyes watched her face contort and eyebrows furrow when she would turn in his direction; her eyes not looking to him, but focusing on the work before her, her hair gently swaying in the rare, humid breeze. He noted she tended to let out random sighs, biting her lower lip in annoyance - at her arm's pain or the smell, whichever it was, Levi wasn't sure, but his eyes would stick to her face, her light pink lips and her determined eyes. He became aware that his stares were more than merely observing and he quickly gripped a hold of his mind, focusing it.

Mikasa let out a hefty sigh, darting her gaze occasionally towards Levi, who was still lazily leaning against the steps, watching her with those dull eagle hues - he was just watching her. Mikasa bit her lip softly, trying to ignore his presence, he only made her more irritated, she should just focus on the job at hand and leave the lingering Corporal out of her mind, he didn't belong in there anyway, she'd much rather thoughts of Eren be featured. Eren belong in her mind, Levi didn't, she told herself. She tried hard to focus her thoughts on Eren's face and his smile.

But the thoughts didn't come, much to Mikasa's annoyance.

Mikasa exhaled.

The smell of the horses stables were more prominent in the heat, making the smell far worse, she held in her breathe for long periods of time as she fought against the rancid smell of used hay and shit. Her body was so hot, worsened from the fact she still adorned her thick jacket proudly. She should have listened to his words of advice, and that thought alone made her glare and her lips thin in annoyance.

He would win if she took it off, but it was so hot and she was becoming extremely uncomfortable and irritated, both by the heat and the smell of her surroundings.

After a few more moments, she decided she didn't give a shit anymore.

The loud obnoxious clank of the dropping shovel echoed through the air as she slowly began removing the dirtied brown jacket, careful as she removed it from her aching arm. She tossed the item away - it hit the wooden cart not far from her.

Levi tilted his head to the side slightly and involuntarily the corner of his lips quirked briefly at some unannounced victory.

After carrying the last batch of hay into the last stable, Mikasa threw herself against the stone wall of the building and let out a heavy, exhausted sigh, filled greatly with relief at the finished job. The girl closed her eyes, tilting her head up to the sky, sun beating down heavily against her form. Her shirt was sticking to her pale skin; her sweat wetting the material slightly from the heat and work, her chest was rising up and down in shallow heaps and she exhaled rubbing the stray strands from her face.

She was glad to be done, but as she revelled in her victory of finishing such a large task alone - injured while in the heat - his voice broke her away from it. And it sounded closer than she remembered it being the last time he spoke.

She snapped her eyes open - he was stood a few metres from her, his lidded eyes scanning over the stables, scrutinising her hard work.

"I suppose it will do, Ackerman."

Mikasa exhaled heavily and glowered at him. Suppose? He was impossible, if it wasn't up to his damn clean-freak standards, then perhaps he should have lifted a damned finger to help her. She rolled her eyes in irritation, looking away from the male toward the building as she spoke.

"I'm glad I have pleased you for once, sir." She drawled, every word spoken dripping with sardonic toxins.

"It's not the first time, Ackerman." the male breathed out almost passively, albeit to himself, Mikasa heard regardless, her eyes shot back to him and raised a confused eyebrow at his odd reply.

Disregarding his comment as likely nothing more than naught, she then realised he'd taken his jacket off; he was stood only with his shirt and harnesses on his upper half. She didn't even recall seeing him take it off.

"Far better than what the brat is capable of." He added dryly, and brushed some dirt from his shirt casually.

_**Brat?**_

"Eren." She interjected abruptly, irritated at the rude name he'd used.

Levi met her gaze. "Brat, Ackerman." He affirmed, eyes dominating.

Mikasa glared and was about to speak, but stopped herself, he was trying to get to her - she needed to just ignore him…

Levi noted her reluctance to retaliate and commended her, perhaps she was learning not to be so fucking insubordinate.

Though from experience, he knew that thought would be soon outlived.

"Although, I suppose anyone can do better than him; cleaning is not a strong point of his, nor is being prepared or thinking ahead - he did manage to get his ass captured so easily by the enemy, afterall." he drawled. Mikasa tensed, her canines jabbing into her lower lip, fist balled by her side, her annoyance rising tenfold. "It was his own fault."

Mikasa's fist clenched tightly, her trimmed nails digging into the soft skin of her hand, she'd had enough. Before reason registered in her mind, her fist was already flying through the air toward her target.

Levi dodged it fluidly as her fist skimmed his cravat, she regained her composure quickly, sending death threats at him, her eyes narrowed dangerously; he smirked timidly at Mikasa's fearless action.

"The last time you attempted to hit me, Ackerman, you were gas-" a loud smack of skin-on-skin rang out, shooting through the air with its jarring sound. Levi's jeering smirk was gone and his eyes were darkened with displeasure as he held Mikasa's hand in an unyielding vice-grip, "You never learn from your mistakes."

Mikasa glowered angrily, though her eyes were suffused with unease. It wasn't the fear or trepidation of punishment or injury, but a different sort, a foreboding one, one she loathed more than the others. It had never been there before.

After mere seconds, they both became aware of his proximity to her.

During the time they were in his office, they had been this close, too. So close Mikasa's leaden hues felt like they had been palpable, concrete weapons threatening to impale him, as if Levi was not her commanding officer. And right now, disobedience and revolt were entwined within her dark hues.

"That's the second time you've attempted to strike me within a matter of seconds."

"I promise you the next time I won't miss," Mikasa spat, threateningly, revelling in the way Levi's eyes sparked fleetingly at her disregard for authority and respect.

It was such a sparse thing to see this man irritated, to see him anything other than the dull, stoic eyed man he usually was. Even if it was for a mere moment.

Mikasa realised she wanted to be the discrete individual to bring that reaction to the surface. She wanted to bring those eyes of void emotion to their brink, wanted to bring a rise out of him, to show she was the one in control. To show him she could twist and mold his reactions too, to show he wasn't in control of he-

"You stink like shit." He remarked suddenly.

Mikasa, who was still in her untamed train of thoughts was taken aback by the random comment, causing a faulter in her composure for a split second.

"I wonder why that is, sir." She sneered back almost instinctively, and immediately after she pulled her arm in an attempt to release his grip from her fist. But he took a step forward, eyes narrowing at her, his dominating aura enveloping her quickly.

"You should go clean yourself off. Your smell is distracting."

Her eyes thinned. How did he manage to change the mood and situation so quickly?

Mikasa's ears pricked as she opened her mouth to retort.

Levi was prudent, hearing the voices approaching and reluctantly released Mikasa from his firm grasp, stepping back calmly; for her sake, and his. "You should be more careful, Ackerman." He warned from afar, and Mikasa bit the inside of her thinned her lips at the veiled threat, "Perhaps if you didn't act on such pathetic impulses, you'd be out there saving the brat right now." He added.

Mikasa's eyes widened.

"Mikasa!" a female soldier ran into the scene breaking away from the small group of soldiers who'd just exited the building, calling her name energetically. The group quickly noticed the Corporal just past her, and the cheery girl stopped dead, "Corporal Levi, sir!" they saluted in unison, but Levi's eyes never left Mikasa's now scowling face.

_"Tch."_

An awkward silence loomed in the air.

"Uh…sir, I was wondering if Mikasa co-"

"**No**, now leave." He spoke calmly, his voice didn't waver, but there was an undertone of strain within it. He really didn't want to deal with any pigs right now.

"B-but-"

Levi turned, his icy stare sent shivers down the girl's spine.

"Uh, y-yes, sir! Sorry, sir!" she stuttered and sent a worried glance towards Mikasa as she turned on her heel and quickly ran away back towards the group of soldiers.

Levi turned back to Mikasa.

Recognizing her anger and discomfort, Levi didn't once divert his gaze from her eyes as the soldiers hurried away in the background, their tiresome voices echoing down the archway hall, scared for their safety.

"Don't worry, Ackerman. I'm sure he will be fine, even without his little lacky's aid." Without allowing time for Mikasa to respond, or even react, he walked away across the dirt ground, grabbing his jacket from the steps and dusting it off, then continuing on to the building with a casual glance over his shoulder at her. "Come." He called to her. "You need to get rid of that shit from your body, you smell disgusting."

She grit her teeth together, but instinctively followed him after grabbing the crimson scarf and jacket.

* * *

Mikasa stopped just outside of the shower room that the girl's dorms shared, the door leading into it was open, the hall they were stood in was empty. Only a few voices could be heard in the far distance, the female soldier's chattering echoing down the stone halls quietly. She focused her hearing, no voices were heard inside the showers.

Good. Mikasa glanced away from the Corporal, she'd rather be alone and have no-one bother her while inside, she wanted some space and time to cool down, her mind was still raging at the words spoken by the man looming nearby. She sent him a quizzical look as he walked by her, toward the wall; he leant back against it, lifting his leg slightly against the stone. His eyes closed and he sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Clean yourself up in there." He muttered, his eyes still firmly closed.

"You're going to just stand here?"

Levi slowly lifted his left eyelid casually and tilted his head to the side, glancing at her perplexed, accusing face for a moment before closing it again.

"Yes."

Mikasa stared at him for a moment, not having expected that response, though she should have. He was really going to stand in the hall in the girl's dorms and wait for her outside the showers for her to clean herself up?

The silence took over the surrounding air and he remained there against the wall, Mikasa stared at his face; he seemed relaxed for once, and she finally noticed how serene and normal he seemed when he wasn't glaring with those eyes.

"Ackerman, are you going to stand there staring like a gawking idiot forever? Your smell is going to infect the whole hall if you stand there like a brain-dead pig any longer." He murmured deeply, his eyes never opened.

Mikasa glared at him as he interrupted her mullings and pursed her lips together, regretting thinking he looked anything other than _infuriating_. She turned to the door and walked in, slamming it behind her, making sure it was closed properly.

Levi opened his eye slightly to glance at the closed door and he let out a sigh.

* * *

She threw her dirtied jacket down onto the stone floor and stripped herself down to her bindings, her eyes transfixed on the entry way and the door. He was stood out there like some damn stalker. Was this really necessary? She narrowed her eyes in a scowl, what the fuck was his problem? He'd made her do all of that damn cleaning while just sitting there, staring at her. She'd tried to ignore his intense stares, but whenever she'd glance up, he'd be looking back passively inspecting her every move.

It nerved her less than it should.

She exhaled and stripped out of her bindings to her bare, porcelain skin and stepped in to a stall, the water was cold and she welcomed it heartily. The weather was too hot, and her activities made it worse; the cold water felt amazing against her heated skin. It glided down, washing away the dirt and grime that had clung to her body, she rubbed her hand over her arms, rubbing the smell away the best she could, the water fell against her bandaged arm, wetting it. Mikasa glanced down at it, it was becoming heavily from the water sinking into the material.

She closed her eyes and let her hand drop softly to her side, she'd have to get it re-bandaged, that she was sure of. She gripped the scented soap that had been tossed carelessly onto the floor, her nose picked up the scent and her mind wandered to Eren, the smell reminded her of the flowers by their house when they were children, her lips slowly started quirking slightly.

_You smell disgusting._

For some reason her mind drifted to that remark and Mikasa placed her arm against the wall and leaned into it, the cold water hammering onto her lithe back. She bit her lip softly and glared into the space before her as if it was Levi himself.

"I'd not smell so disgusting if I wasn't told to clean shit up. Alone." She murmured into nothing as if she was talking to Levi indirectly. She let out a sigh and leant back up casting her neck back so the water hit her face, washing the dirt from the pale flesh, she rubbed the soap across her skin softly, leaving a trail of scent behind, washing the shit stench from her body.

Perhaps now the bastard wouldn't complain about her smell anymore.

* * *

"Finally," his deep, passive voice spoke as she stepped out of the shower room. "I was beginning to think you'd dropped dead in there, Ackerman." he mocked.

Mikasa sent a unimpressed look of annoyance at him and walked by his form.

"I have a request, sir."

"Oh?"

"I need to see Armin, sir. I haven't seen him since they left, he is still injured, and a friend." She emphasised,.

Levi stared at her blankly for several prolonged moments, assessing things in his mind.

"Fine." He finally replied. "But I am accompanying you, don't think this gets you off the hook, Ackerman."

She held back a retort, he'd at least allowed her to see Armin, she didn't want to risk arguing and him retract his agreement. She would handle his presence to see her childhood friend.

* * *

_Boom. I'm moving countries soon - delays may happen between chapters._

Hope you enjoyed it.


	8. 八

**Disclaimer: Hajime Isayama is the rightful owner of Shingeki no Kyojin (****進撃の巨人****), I write out of pleasure and boredom and I am simply using his characters for my own story. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Chapter 8:**

* * *

**"Be quick, Ackerman." **

The collected voice of the phlegmatic Corporal trailed after her as Mikasa entered her dorm room, she gripped a hold of the door after she entered past the threshold. As she turned to close it, her eyes skimmed over Levi's form, he was leant against the wall across the hall, staring at her with his stoic eyes intently. Those hard orbs quickly scanned over her room and back to her, no doubt inspecting its cleanliness. Mikasa inwardly scoffed at his incessant habit.

She quickly shut the door and turned to walk across the room, after throwing her jacket down on the floor she tenderly placed the crimson scarf onto her bedside.

Her nose caught smell of her shirt as she bent her head down and inhaled, she grimaced - it still held an odour of dirt and shit. She quickly unbuttoned it and threw it down onto the floor carelessly, grabbed a new shirt; fluidly putting it on, careful not to strain her arm in the process. She threw the rest of her dirty clothes into a pile.

Mikasa adjusted her collar and buttoned up the last button. With a soft sigh she grabbed the scarf and headed towards the door, opening it and refusing to look at the Corporal across the hall, whose lidded eyes locked on to her as soon as she had opened the door.

He said nothing as he pushed off of the wall and began heading down the hall, though unbeknownst to Mikasa, he was pleased she no longer smelt of shit.

* * *

Levi entered the food hall, a few people were scattered around at the rustic wooden tables, lowly chattering to one another. His eagle eyes quickly picked out his target - _Armin Arlert _\- situated at table by himself, back to the entrance, slowly eating - seemingly lost in thought. The bowl of food before him held some meaty, potato stew and some bread beside it.

Mikasa spotted Armin within moments after Levi, and immediately her face lightened with happiness at seeing her friend.

"Armin!" her voice called over to him and his head shot up as he turned - he'd not seen her since the others left. At that time, Corporal Levi had sniffed her out and he had displayed a deathly aura about him. He wasn't sure where'd she been the whole time since that day, and it was great to see her well and _alive_.

"Mika!" his happy voice responded, he stood up slightly from his seat as she began to head quickly over to him, she looked happy to see him, which in turn made Armin worry less. The boy's pearl blue hues trailed over to the figure approaching them - it was Corporal Levi. Within a fraction of a second, Armin's eyes widened slightly, confused and worried at what he wanted – why he was with Mikasa.

"Ackerman," he started in a dull voice as he watched the two greet one another happily, "I trust you won't wander your ass off while I retrieve some food?"

It was less a question, more a soft warning. However, Mikasa turned, slight appreciation written on her features as she looked at Levi – as infuriating as he was, he seemed to read situations well, thankfully. The soft but brisk nod of the head signalled she understood and wouldn't disappear from her current location in his absence.

Blinking passively, Levi turned on his heel and headed away; Armin's wide eyes stared holes into the back of the older male's head as he walked away, he turned back to Mikasa, his face questioning.

"Mikasa, where have you been? I've not seen you since they left to save Eren." He almost regretted mentioning Eren's name the second the name slipped past his slims lips. Seeing her face scrunch into sadness; she wasn't able to go with the rest of the soldiers, and she clearly was distressed over it, she had always been there to _protect_ Eren, keep him safe and watched over him ever since Armin could remember.

"I've been…" Mikasa's brows twitched slightly, "busy, Armin." She spoke, her voice lightening as she smiled, Armin could see her determination to not allow it to constantly weigh down on her. He was proud of her. He patted the seat next to his as he sat down on the bench, Mikasa followed suit, slouching down onto it.

Armin's eyes locked onto Mikasa and he stared at her, many questions were running through his head.

"Corporal Levi seemed furious with you the other day, I thought you were in serious trouble, I'd not seen you since you left with him." he spoke softly.

Mikasa seemed to direct her gaze, "He's…persistent with his punishments, Armin."

"You went against his command…" his eyes were worried as he stared at her.

"Yes."

"Why, Mikasa? You knew he'd not be happy whe-"

"_I didn't care_, I wanted to be there with the others - I needed to save Eren. I **need** to be out there." she clenched her fist, "I feel so hopeless, and I know I should trust the others to find him, but if he isn't found, I won't forgive myself. Eren is…" she trailed off, Armin was unsure of her next unspoken words, but so was Mikasa. She didn't know what to say, she needed to _protect_ him, she'd _promised_ that she's keep Eren safe no matter what. Her teeth clenched.

"Mika…but your arm, you'd not have been helpful, you might have even gotten someone hurt from it!"

Mikasa turned to face Armin, she scowled slightly, but Armin's child-like face pleaded with her to see his reasoning, his eyes begged for her to see _why;_ why Levi had refused to let her leave, why she needed to stay. It was all to keep her and the people around her safe.

Mikasa knew deep down it would had been a foolish thing to do. But accepting that would mean that not only was Armin right, but also…_**him.**_

"I'm failing to keep Eren safe…" she whispered.

"No-one wants to see Eren hurt, everyone wants him back here, but your safety matters too! Corporal Levi knew you'd be a liability if you left. That's…why I couldn't go too, Mikasa…" he trailed off, "I'm glad, actually."

Mikasa raised her gaze to Armin's face, _what?_

"If I had gone along, with the rest of them, I'd be a hindrance… like I was last time around. I just got myself hurled into a tree when I tried to save you!" his voice was strained, upset at his assumed weakness, "If I had gone with them to save Eren, I'd just be nearly useless! And so would you, Mika!"

Mikasa stared at him blankly with her mouth slightly hung open, listening to his speech, "We just need to hope for the best, believe in our Commander and everyone, and hope that Eren is returned safety! We can't regret not going, Mikasa…" Armin was gritting his teeth; tears were slowly staring to appear in his eyes, his lower lip was slightly quivering, he was just as affected as Mikasa was about the whole situation.

"Armin…" Mikasa whispered as she reached out her hand, gripping his arm she pulled him into a tight hug, "I'm sorry."

Armin softly sniffled, "Don't apologise, Mika, just have hope in them."

Mikasa nodded her head softly, finally listening to his wise words.

* * *

Levi stood by the far wall, slouched against it, watching the young boy and girl across the hall, once he felt it was an appropriate time to venture forth, he stepped forward making his way to their table, carrying two warm bowls in his hands.

Upon reaching the table, Levi dropped the bowl down onto the surface and pushed it forwards, the wooden scraping against the bowl making a low rumbling noise against its surface. Mikasa raised her eyes at the noise, and turned her head in time to see Levi drop down the bench opposite her and Armin, across the table. Her eyebrows rose questionably, a pleasant smell hit her nose and she glanced down; a bowl of warm meat and potato stew was steaming in front of her on the table.

Mikasa quickly looked back at Levi, his gaze was trained to the side, looking elsewhere in the room. Mikasa blinked in bewilderment as he took a spoonful of stew and lifted it to his mouth, chewing slowly.

Armin glanced at the two, looking between them back and forth, somewhat perplexed. Something seemed off in the atmosphere, even more so than usual with Corporal Levi's phlegmatic aura around. Mikasa's gaze went back to the bowl and her stomach made a low grumble.

"You've not eaten today, so stop gawking like a braindead fool and eat." He muttered dryly, still not looking at her.

Mikasa furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, perplexed by the Corporal's kind gesture. She hadn't realised she was hungry until she'd seen the bowl of food before her. Her hand gripped the spoon and lifted a heaped, steaming spoonful of potato and meat. She softly blew on it before putting the contents in her mouth, chewing it with a light smile. The warm, juicy flavours filled her senses, and she quietly let out a pleased sigh as she went to scoop more into the spoon.

Levi's hooded eyes moved to focus on her, quietly watching her face as she ate.

He let out an inaudible, soft exhale.

* * *

"Someone else will clean them up, Ackerman," he motioned to the empty bowls, "we've got business to attend to."

Armin bowed to him, a perfect soldier's _sir_ sounded, and Levi fluidly turned to Mikasa who was beginning to stand up from the bench, his eyes raked over her form before he continued onwards to the entrance.

He headed out into the courtyard and they both continued on into the hall; Mikasa was walking a little behind him, glacing out of the windows as they walked, and he tilted his head back slightly as he dragged his eyes to her form again, they grazed over her wrapped arm - the bandage was getting loose and looked worse for wear after her shower.

Levi snapped his head forward and narrowed his eyes at her stupidity.

The Corporal noted their location, if he took a detour, he could get to the infirmary within 5 minutes and have them rewrap it for the foolish girl.

"Ackerman." His voice broke the silence.

Mikasa raised her gaze to his face, turning her head in sign of her acknowledgment, her eyes questioning his reason for addressing her.

"We're heading to the infirmary, you need your arm redressed."

Levi kept his face facing forwards in front of the two, but his eyes darted to the his right again to glance at her from the corner of his eyes and then shot back to the expanse before them.

"It's fine, Corporal." She muttered back as she lifted her hand upwards and flexed her fingers slowly, the bandages were still damp, but she'd manage.

Levi had begun to hate that word: _fine_. Few things in the world were _fine,_ and of those that were, Mikasa was definitely **not** one of them. Levi digressed, perhaps a few of her aspects could be established as fine, such as her ability in combat, determination, or how she managed to grate on his sanity more than he wanted to allow.

But Levi decided Mikasa was far from fine as a whole; she was smooth, but rough, strong, but dependant, and a mixture of things not commonly seen together, compact into one being - she was special, much like a diamond.

"Don't argue, Ackerman." He sternly shot back at her.

"The infirmary is the other side of the building, I will be fine without going, the bandage will last until tomorrow, sir." She spoke calmly to him, to which he noted.

Levi looked away, he really wasn't in the mood to have a dispute with the defiant teenager, but he also knew he didn't want her traipsing around in the dirty, damp bandage any longer.

He exhaled quietly, he had wanted to head over and speak to the loon, Hanji, but his mind was irritated at the thought of the girl waltzing around behind him still wearing that damned filthy bandage. He weighed his options carefully, deciding his next move.

"Follow me."

Mikasa watched as Levi turned, heading in the general direction towards a room she knew all too well by now.

* * *

Levi opened the wooden door to his office, stepped inside and headed into the adjoining room, Mikasa soon followed behind him, her feet dragging softly on the stone ground. As she entered the room, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, her mind and this room weren't on the best of terms and she decided to keep the door open.

"What are w-" Mikasa stopped herself as she turned from the door and realised Levi was in the other room, she sighed, not sure why they came here.

The coal haired girl scanned her eyes over the office; she'd never taken the time to look around it in the previous times she'd been inside it. His desk was immaculate; there was a small pile of sheets of paper stacked neatly on top of one another, his writing equipment neatly arranged next to it at a perpendicular angle. She directed her eyes over more, an almost empty cup rested on the coaster, she assumed from the lingering smell of coffee in the air as she stepped closer, he'd had it that morning before he came to seek her out in her room.

He had a few books lined on the shelves, a few ornaments, and some odd looking objects adorned the lower shelves of the wooden furniture. Her eyes scanned over the odd objects, and landed on a picture frame, it wasn't that old and had a young looking male resembling Levi and a female stood next to one another, she didn't recognise the woman, but she was smiling happily as Levi stood with a softer look than he usually had. It made Mikasa's lips rise into a small smile too.

She stepped towards the book shelf and ran her finger across a group of green and black leather backed books, her eyes stopped on a book that looked used, the brown material slightly worn, whether it was from age or use, Mikasa wasn't sure. She hooked her finger over it and pulled it out softly, careful to not damage it further.

"Before the Beasts." She read out loud to herself quietly, it was written in old typography lined with gold, and it was heavy, thick paged. The pages surely were filled with a lot of writing. She opened to the first few pages, her assumptions confirmed, the book was lined with script and mass paragraphs. She looked quizzically at it; she didn't take Levi as being a big reader. Although, she didn't really know much about him at all, only that he was strange.  
He was closed off, awkward, but had humanity within him, a sense of right and wrong - for the most part, an incessant need for an immaculate surrounding and cleanliness, amazingly strong and fast, respected authority and expected it to the highest degree, smart and cunning - but he confused Mikasa.

She exhaled and lifted it back to the shelf, and pushed it back in between its original nestling place. He was definitely strange.

There was a soft click and Mikasa turned, her eyes immediately locked onto the figure of Levi stood by the door, one hand lowering after shutting the door, fresh bandage in the other. His imperturbable eyes locked on to her deep hues, Mikasa felt a strange feeling, and she wasn't sure why, but she felt like she had just been found out doing something she shouldn't be doing. She gulped softly and opened her mouth slightly as if to speak, but she didn't have anything to say.

Nothing would come to mind.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked, his voice sounded lighter than usual.

Mikasa's mouth was hung open slightly and she quickly thinned her lips, buried her head into the red scarf, diverting her eyes from his dominating stare, not responding to him.

He stayed there for another moment, before walking over to his desk, he placed the bandages against the wooden surface and turned to Mikasa, she still refused to look at him, her eyes glancing at the floor.

"Come here." He motioned his hand for her to come to him, beckoning her, and her eyes rose to him as he leant against the wooden desk casually. He motioned for her to sit in his chair in front of him.

Mikasa walked over to him and stood a foot away from where he was sat, she turned her head downwards, her hair falling into her face, covering her features and she breathed in the smell of the red scarf. Levi's eyes were trained on her, watching her every move, she seemed uneasy, refusing to look at him with her defiant eyes like she usually would. He had a small inkling of an idea why, but wasn't 100% positive.

He leant back more against his desk, positioning his leg more so he had more stability. Mikasa's eyes darted up to him as he moved, eyes peering through her thick onyx locks up at him, she quickly looked away again when his gaze met hers.

They found themselves sitting in silence for a few moments, the birds outside softly chirping in the trees, the sun was slowly starting to set in the far distance over the hills, the sky tinted orange. The room was reasonably lit still from the rays, the orange hue casting a glow on Levi and Mikasa's bodies. Levi's eyes watched her intently, every move she made, he noted. Mikasa looked up, a strange feeling buzzing inside of her, unsure why he was taking so long: wasn't he just supposed to be re-wrapping her arm for her? This was supposed to be saving time, not taking longer…

A moment later, the Corporals deep, controlled voice reverberated through the air towards her.

"Does it hurt still?"

Taking a second to swallow in awkwardness, she rubbed the side of her nose, "It's okay. This really isn't necessary, it's perfectly fi- "

"Take your jacket off." His fluid voice spoke, ignoring her ramblings, interrupting her before she could say **_that _**word.

Mikasa turned her head up to him, her eyes held an odd emotion, as she raised her hand up and began pulling her jacket off, and she draped it over the chair's armrest.

He reached out toward her, and held his hand out to her.

"Give me your hand." He spoke calmly, eyes lidded and still staring intently at her, never leaving her face. She stared at him with scrutinising eyes; her mind questioning is she should, but chose to listen, and she raised her hand up towards his cool, awaiting grasp.

His fingers were a contrast that confused her, they were soft and palpable, but were rough from years of work and training, too. She watched his fingers slide over her hand, transfixed on the simple act.

Mikasa opened her mouth slightly as his hand glided over her small fingers carefully, her eyes rose to his face after realising she'd been staring at his hand touching hers for too long, she saw that his eyes, too, were focused on their hands.

"Come closer, Ackerman." He murmured out softly.

Mikasa stared at her Corporal's face, apparently not hearing his words, the sun sent a hazy warm glow over his features, he didn't look so…stoic and strange when he was in this light, he seemed calm and gentle, and that thought was amplified by his soft touches to her hand, he was careful not to hurt her as he held her injured appendage.

When she didn't respond to his order, he reached out and grasped a hold of her shirt, tugging it, the force jolting her forwards slightly, moving her closer to him. Levi repositioned himself against the desk, sitting more on it, and pulled her closer so she was placed closer in-between his legs.

Mikasa was shocked by his gesture, but she didn't say anything, she just breathed through her mouth that was slightly hung open as she watched Levi and his deftly hands untie the knot in the semi wet bandage. He slowly began unwinding the damp material from her slender forearm. Mikasa's eyes were transfixed on his hands; she didn't really notice just how close they actually were.

Once Levi had successfully removed the damp bandage from her skin, he bunched it up and set it down beside him on the wooden desk, running his hand gently over her open palm, the act sent a slight shiver up her arm and down her spine at the feather like caresses.

Her eyes shot up to his face, wondering if he'd noticed. He seemed impassive, face not showing any reaction at all and he reached for the new, clean bandage and turned back to her. His fingers went back out to her hand which was still hovering midair, awaiting his soft touches.

Levi wrapped it expertly, and carefully tied a strong knot to keep the material in place, once tied, he released her forearm and his fingers slid down the length of it, grazing her fingers as he retracted his hands.

Mikasa's heart was beating faster, and when he pulled away, she released a breath she wasn't aware she'd held in. She balled her fingers together and pulled her hand back to her body and looked away from him. She didn't know what she was feeling, but it was a strange mix, unease and anticipation, she didn't understand the feeling at all. She felt nervous, but she wasn't nervous from being scared or worried.

She didn't understand, and she didn't think she wanted to, the feeling made her feel odd, even more so than she was comfortable with.

"Ackerman," his voice murmured to her, she looked back at him through her hair, his eyes held a strange emotion she couldn't place. She didn't know how to react to it, so she reacted how she knew. As he opened his mouth to continue speaking, she interrupted.

"Thank you, Corporal," she started, "for changing the bandage for me, I appreciate it." Her voice was strong, and she spoke clearly to him. "It is getting late; may I head to my room?"

Levi watched her, his eyes never once leaving her face as she spoke, he sighed heavily and stood up, walking by her, making sure not to brush into her. He gazed out of the open window. He supposed she should leave, he was only going to head over to Hanji for some documents before retiring for the night, too.

"Very well, Ackerman." His eyes tried to fix on something outside, "Don't do anything stupid, you're on thin ice already." His voice was back to his unaffected, plain tone.

Mikasa nodded her head and bowed politely, though Levi didn't see the gesture.

As he continued to stare outside, he heard the click of the door behind him, and he turned his face, focusing his eyes on the door momentarily before he turned and walked over to his chair, he dropped down onto it, his elbow resting on the armrest while in thought.

* * *

The following day, Mikasa's eyes fluttered open, her night had been a restful one, and she was refreshed for the first time in what felt like a life time. She stretched her body, undoing all the nights knots in her muscles, and sighed. She rolled her head to the side, and look down at her wrapped arm that was resting on her toned stomach, her mind slowly lulled to the thought of the one who had wrapped and tied it expertly for her; Corporal Levi.

Her cloudy mind, which was still just awakening drifted to Levi, and his fingers when they skimmed softly over her fingers and arm, his fingertips were soft but harsh, and they made her arm hairs stand at attention, her heart had begun beating faster than usual when he'd touched her and her mind ha-

No. Mikasa cursed at herself, what the fuck was wrong with her? Why was she thinking about such a simple act from the Corporal? She shook her head as she sat up, gripping her hair softly, she must be crazy to think of Levi as being _kind,_ especially to her.

She hopped out of bed and quickly got dressed, almost out of instinct, she felt a presence outside of her door, and as she went to open it and step out, her eyes caught sight of the culprit. He was stood in the same place as the day prior, leant casually against the wall with his eyes closed.

"Ackerman." He muttered.

He insisted on stalking outside of her room daily from now on then? She furrowed her eyebrows, but not in anger, more so from amusement than anything else, and she responded to him with a nod as he opened his dull eyes to look upon her. One thing was missing, but he decided not to comment on it, instead he pushed away from the stone wall and walked down the hall, as if it was becoming a habit, Mikasa instinctively followed closely behind him, not even questioning him.

* * *

They arrived just outside of his office as Hanji came running down the hall towards the pair, her face wide with happiness. Levi didn't seem to appreciate the sudden appearance of her, and murmured what sounded to Mikasa like, _'Shitty glasses'._

"Levi! I forgot to give you this document yesterday," her face beamed ever happily as she continued, "I found it just now and thought I'd come hand it over to you, I caught you just in time!" she chuckled humourously as her gaze went to Mikasa who was stood a few feet behind Levi, looking away as the two interacted, even though Levi had not yet responded.

Hanji she sent a toothy grin towards Mikasa and looked at Levi again, his face was plain, and he was slightly glaring, the woman was irritating at the best of times. Hanji held the document forwards, and it was snatched away from her hands harshly from Levi, her eccentric behaviour was too much sometimes.

"So cruel!" she remarked as he took the document, "Ah! I do have to get back to my work though…the Titans, _oh the Titans_! So many things I need to look into…_say, Levi,_ do you think on the next expedition, we could capture some Abnormal Titans? I'd love to study them, they're s-"

"I can see one already for you to study."

"Huh?" her face twisted into a perplexed look, glancing around out looking for such a Titan, she turned to him confused and Levi's hard stare met hers.

"Right here." He didn't look away from here, his eyes shooting daggers at her.

A heavy cackle left her mouth, "Hah! Oh, Levi, you are a-"

"Don't you have work to do?" he drawled.

"_Oh!_ Oh my, _yes!_ Haha, alright, I'll see you two later, bye!" Her voice echo'd down the hall as she retreated.

"Eccentric woman." He murmured as he turned to the door of his office, opening it quickly wanting to get away from any other people who might harass him. He threw the document on the desk on top of the others and sat down, Mikasa peeped her head in, Levi's dull eyes rose to look at her.

_"Come in, Ackerman."_

Mikasa walked inside, following his instructions, curious as to what he'd expect her to do that day.


	9. 九

**Disclaimer: Hajime Isayama is the rightful owner of Shingeki no Kyojin (****進撃の巨人****), I write out of pleasure and boredom and I am simply using his characters for my own story. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Chapter 9:  
**

* * *

**"Come in, Ackerman."**

Mikasa let out a weak yawn and walked inside, following his instructions, begrudgingly curious as to what he'd expect her to do that day. She closed the door behind her and fluidly turned on her heel to face the Corporal, who was leant back comfortably against his chair, behind the oak desk. Mikasa stood there momentarily, unsure what to do - and almost, oddly, waiting for the Corporal to instruct her movements for her. Not that she'd have a choice in the matter anyway.

However, the Corporal's lidded eyes seemed to not look at her, or in her general direction. They closed briefly as he raised a hand to his hair, carding his masculine digits through his dark strands. A small, almost inaudible sigh escaped his slim lips – a few mute moments passed until Levi cleared his throat softly, his eyes snapped open and they locked onto Mikasa's form as he lowered his arm. He sighed again.

"Ackerman, I think that perha-"

_Knock, knock, knock._

Lidded eagle eyes shot to the door, mere feet behind Mikasa's position, the girls head tilted to the side slightly a second afterward in awareness of the intruder beckoning entrance to the Corporal's office. A soft scoff from Levi's direction reached her ears as he quickly pushed himself up from his seat, striding almost irritably toward the offending door. Once again, he sighed.

"Sit down, Ackerman." He motioned toward the chair by his desk offhandedly.

The hinges creaked slightly at the force of which he opened it, and the person on the other side jolted at the sudden, unexpected opening of the wooden door.

"C-Corporal Levi, s-sir!"

"What is it?" Levi mumured flippantly, his voice controlled but lined with boredom as his hand right moved to rest on the side of the oaken door. He raised the other to his temple in modest irritation, not having bothered to look upon the boy begging for his attention.

The boy let out a harsh exhale, and in that second, Levi lowered his hand from his temple and took note of the boy before him: his chest was rising an falling in quick succesion, mouth slightly open, and his eyes were in disarray.

"T-There's…I ha-"

The older males eyes narrowed in vexation. "Spit it out, boy." Levi pushed, orbs narrowing ever so slighty at the odd demeanour of the stammering boy.

"Corporal…I…"

The boy lifted a timid hand up toward the Corporal, fingers wrapped securely around an envelope. Levi recognised the writing on the face of the envelope immediately, and he instinctively pulled the door toward him as he took a step forwards, so it pressed against his broad back.

"…I was…" The boy took a quick moment to exhale and regain his shaky breath, "Sir! I was tasked with delivering this to you." His tremulous reply was laced with apprehension.

The Corporal's lidded eyes shot to the left as his ear quirked toward the office behind him.

Beige paper crumpled slightly as timorous, male hands gripped it tightly. "It's involving the J-"

Levi stepped out of the threshold completely before the male had chance to utter another syllable, he pulled the door behind him, clicking it shut.

The tone of Levi's voice dropped to a lower octave, his eyes locked with the boys brown orbs, "Be quiet." He sneered, and the boys eyes filled with a hint of confusion at the sudden command.

* * *

Mikasa strummed her fingers on the chairs armrest out of habit, and she let out a weak yawn. She was still tired. Her eyes looked down at her arm before she raised the bandaged appendage up to eye level and ran a lone digit over it; the bandage was totally intact, tight and firm around her skin, expertly wrapped. Mikasa partially ignored the reasoning for it being so, but her mind persistently recalled the softness she'd seen of the Corporal the day prior. She let a dragged out sigh escape her lips and lolled her head toward the door.

The hushed voice's coming from the hall weren't loud enough at this distance to dicipher, but she could tell which voice belonged to the Corporal - and then said Corporal stepped out…

Curiosity got the better of the girl, and Mikasa found herself slowly rising from the chair, her face contorted in unorthodox wonder.

Taking slow, timid steps, Mikasa edged her way toward the door and the two males outside of it. She tilted her head to the side, angling it so she could perhaps hear what was being discussed. Her next step sent a groaning creak through the wood below and Mikasa froze in place, her heart beating in her ears.

_"…involving the J-"_

The Corporal stepped forwards and clicked the door shut completely.

Mikasa furrowed her eyebrows, her curiosity now amplified tenfold; she waited a few moments before she continued on. Angling her foot downward, she took another step toward the now closed door, and leant carefully up to it. Unable to hear talking, she leant closer.

Mikasa's heart leapt as the door suddenly opened and she jolted backward away from the opening object, trying quickly to regain her usual composure. Levi's disapproving eyes locked onto hers immediately, and then, as quickly as they had been, they darted away.

The Corporal traipsed over to his desk, a harsh aura enveloped him. "You've taken eavesdropping on as one of your shitty hobbies I take it, Ackerman?"

It was _definitely_ rhetorical, and Mikasa thinned her lips – as much as she may have loathed it, the Corporal _probably_ had a right to be irritated at her for her actions. Out of instinct, she raised her bare arm to her head, awkwardly scratching her locks in some innate way at gaining comfort at the sudden, oddly awkward aura taking over the office.

Levi looked up at her from behind his desk, his hooded eyes stared passively at her, noting her lack of response.

"You may leave."

Mikasa stood in the center of the room as she lowered her hand and she cocked her head slightly, "What?"

Levi looked down at the envelope he had within his fingers briefly, "You may leave, Ackerman."

"I just got here, and now you want me to…leave? I don't understand."

A heavy sigh escaped Levi's mouth as he placed the envelope on the desk and raised a hand to his temple, two fingers carefully massaging the tender area. "I don't have time for this, Ackerman. Get out."

"No. What's with the sudden change?"

His eyes thinned at her incessant disobiediance. "Ackerman, don't push your luck. _Get out_."

Mikasa sank her teeth into her lower lip in genuine irritation, she didn't understand what his problem was, or her own. Why wasn't she just leaving? She didn't need to keep pushing this…

Her dark eyes sent confused glares at the Corporal, and as they passed down, they landed on the envelope.

"What's with the envelope?"

Levi rose up from his seat, his eyes glaring at Mikasa in annoyance, "The contents don't concern you."

"Why, what's it about?" she questioned, prying as he traipsed toward her, arms crossed over his chest, eveloped tightly concealed behind his right bicep. Mikasa raised an eyebrow, but then narrowed her eyes slightly, "What, is it from some family member of yours?" Levi looked at her with an impasssive look, but she noted the slight twitch of his brow.

A moment passed, and Mikasa pushed the boundaries out of her sudden desire to know further. "…Eren?"

Silence enveloped the room, Levi stood staring at her.

"Just get out, _now_, Ackerman."

Mikasa thinned her pale lips, and her eye twitched in irritation, if it was Eren, he _would_ tell her. "Make me."

The Corporal's eyes stayed trained on her, the want to retaliate to her dare was evident in his eyes, the usually dull hues sparked in a smoldering glare…but he soon hid it away beneathe a layer of disinterest. No. Mikasa didn't want to accept defeat, _she refused…_

"Fine." Mikasa sneered out in annoyance. Levi's eyes stayed locked on her as she turned toward the door - he began to turn away, the unease slightly lifting from the room; _"Make me, you fucking jackass."_

* * *

Onyx hair shielded Mikasa's eyes as her head tilted to the side, her head was throbbing as a dull ring reverberated though her skull at the sudden movement and impact against the oak door.

"Agh…what the _fuck_?"

Her hands immediately shot up to the perpetrators arms in an attempt to remove them from her jugular.

The Corporal's grip tensed, "Watch your _language_, Ackerman." he pushed her further into the wall, mirroring the action with his own body. _"Don't you have something to say to me?"_

"F-…" Mikasa jolted her neck in hope to get some hair to her lungs at the change of position. "Fuck y-you."

Levi's eyes darkened as he stalked his eyes up Mikasa's face, his usual composure seemingly gone, his hair now cascading down, slighly covering his eyes from Mikasa's daring glares. He pushed her once more against the wall, etching his face closer to her. His breath was hot against her skin, and Mikasa watched him with cautious eyes.

"Say that _one_ more time, Ackerman, and I will personally see to it that you regret it for the rest of your shitty life."

"F-"

* * *

The air was progressively getting heavier around the duo, their breathes coming out in disorderly, thick exhales. Feminine eyes were lost in a soft haze, mind unfocused and unable to recall at this second how it had ended up this way. Weren't they just at one anothers throa-

"Ackerman…"

The inky haired girl's heart strummed heavily from the rumbling sound of Levi's voice; his breathe ghosted over her skin, making her heart beat increase, the toxic way her name rolled off of his tongue made her insides shudder.  
Her clenching fists had receded slightly from their firm ball, but she didn't let her guard down out of instinct.

"You are driving me to the brink of insanity."

"G-Good.." She gaped out, in an attempt at a sneer.

A soft whisper of breath slide over her taunt skin, and it sent an arching feeling over her entire body once again, causing her skin to ripple. This was too much for her to process, how did he manage to change the aura in the room so quickly? She didn't understand these feelings welling up inside of her, they were too foreign.

Mikasa clenched her eyes shut in a feeble attempt at gaining control of the wave of dizziness she was suddenly feeling.

"Relax." Levi murmured out deeply, his words slipped past his soft lips with a small lilt, almost as if Mikasa's internal battle was out in the open for him to bear witness to. "Perhaps you should have left." Mikasa's eyes peeked open, mind focusing slightly at his words. "The first time I told you to."

"No, w-wha," Mikasa gave a sharp push with her hands, angling her head away from the male, "What's inside of the-" the young soldier's sentence was cut off as she took a sharp intake of breath - it caught in the back of her throat as her commanding officer seized a hold of her jaw with his left hand, jerking it to the side, forcing her to look upon him.

"Shut up." He mocked quietly, suspiring against her pale face with hot, airy puffs, "Stop talking about it."

Mikasa's eyes twitched and then narrowed at his tone.

The girl thrashed her head out of his grip. "N-no." Mikasa snapped sharply, forcing at his chest with her arms in an attempt to prise their bodies apart, even if just an inch to gain some control.

She wasn't some submissive soldier, she didn't care who he was and to prove it, to herself and to him, she swung her fist abruptly, to test the situation, not in malice - but then took a sharp intake of breath as her body slammed back against the door harder - her fist pressed up firmly against the hard surface of the door in Levi's talon grip, his hand was rough against hers and she tried to pull free, but to no avail.

"_Don't_ try that again."

Mikasa's breathing deepened to low pants, every breath releasing a bout of hatred in the hot gush of air escaping her plump lips, her chest rose and fell and she soon locked eyes with the man before her. His eyes bore a strange glint to them, they were not the same eyes he usually held.

"Just keep breathing, Ackerman. I'm sure you can manage that." muttered Levi, stabbing at her obvious flaw. His breath whispered softly against Mikasa's small ear, the heated breaths ghosting over her skin, causing them to ripple up in soft goosebumps.

An unwanted shiver ran down the length of Mikasa's spine, and she felt Levi's lips curve into a smirk against her skin as he took the lobe of his ear between his pearly white teeth, nipping gently at it. Her breath was rigid as he sucked on the flesh, assaulting it.

"Good girl, that's…", he nuzzled her jaw line, the light stubble of his face running against her porcelain skin, "…much better."

Mikasa battled through the disorientating rush of emotions and scowled, she tried to free her wrist again, but the man before her held her hand, pressed against the wooden door behind her; his hot tongue beginning to trace the creases of her ear, leaving a hot, slick trail in its wake that cooled quickly in the mild air of the room.

His breath was a heavy contrast to the air inside the room, the window lay open, air breezing in from outside, making her shiver, but his hot pants fanned over her flesh, making her body shiver in a different way, a way Mikasa wasn't accustomed to - a way Mikasa subconsciously craved right now.

He grasped a hold of her slender hips, and fluidly rocked them against his own, grinding against her roughly. The sudden action caused a audible gasp to escape Mikasa's lips, causing a small quirk in Levi's lip. He carelessly dragged his fingernails down Mikasa's back as he eased his other hand eagerly in between the female soldier's legs, separating them.

Levi almost mockingly took his sweet time cherishing, savoring, mapping the many tastes of the defiant teenager he held carefully against the door. He trailed his tongue up the skin of her pale neck, the feeling when he ran his tongue against her jaw, as he nibbled lightly against her pale flesh - he noted the minor taste of salt that was splayed over her pale flesh added to her addicting flavour.

"You definitely should have left." He groaned out, almost desperately.

Mikasa carelessly slammed her head back, coming into contact against the door; the dull ringing of her sudden movement disorientated her, and Levi's dangerous caresses, as he pressed against her body, were not helping.

His hands roamed around her back, pushing their lower bodies against each other, grinding their bodies together in an erotic sway as their breath mingled dangerously when Levi angled his head to capture Mikasa's naked, awaiting lips in a harsh kiss to sample her taste before pulling away to nip at her slender neckline once more.

She bit her tongue hard each time she felt a moan curdling up in her throat whenever Levi nibbled her skin, or gripped a hold of her ass, digging his fingers into the soft skin through the fabric and pulled her further into his muscled body, grinding their bodies together roughly.

She wouldn't let them out, she refused. She pushed at him with her naked arm, in a meek attempt at gaining some control.

The Corporal reached a hand up and grasped her unbandaged forearm for purchase, digging his fingertips into her flesh in his tense grip. She gasped at the action, cursing under her breath as he pushed her arm against the wall beside her body, pinning it.

Mikasa felt Levi's hot breath against her jugular, slowly descend slightly downwards. A hot daze went over her mind, her hands went to his head instinctively with her free hand, carding her digits through his soft locks, seeking something to grip a hold of. She tugged harshly, but without threat.

A few moments turned by, and Mikasa's eyes fluttered closed and she panted softly at his assault.

"Ackerman…" Mikasa heard slight desperation in his tone, but it didn't quite register. "_Ackerman._" He repeated more sternly, pulling her mind to focus more, "Tell me to cease." He whispered against her collarbone.

"W-What?"

The Corporal grit his teeth, why wasn't she pushing him away? Throwing a fit? What the fuck was she thinking?

Levi's head retreated, and he released his grip on her arm, the hand traced down her muscles and lightly pulled her shirt off of her shoulders, and slowly, almost teasingly dragged her bindings down inch by inch, until her breasts were no longer confined, hitting the cool air.

"…**Please.**" The dichotomy of his actions and his words put Mikasa into a state of confusion, mind already unfocused and dazed.

"I…I do-" Mikasa gulped and exhaled, "I don't…know."

He grunted deeply, painfully at her response. He dipped his head down, hot pants of air fanning over her hardening nipple before his warm mouth locked over it. Mikasa's body froze, a strange spark of something - a strange electric feeling - shot through her.

A gasp was the only thing she could muster as she felt Levi's teeth nip the erect nub lightly, she gripped a hold of his shoulders, and gave a timid push, unsure what these feelings were, but when Levi languidly traced a circle over the perked nipple with his wet tongue, it made Mikasa's head flood with cloudy, perplexing thoughts.

These feelings, they were all foreign to her, she'd never felt them before.

A straggled grunt came from the Corporal, and soon after, his hand traced softly down Mikasa's stomach, tenderly stroking her inner thighs as his mouth left her hard nipple and took hold of the others mouth in desperation. Mikasa couldn't fight the molten desire of the heated kiss and it took all she could muster to breathe through her nose as Levi's tongue invaded her mouth, seeking out every area of skin inside that he could find. It was Levi who tore suddenly away from her, and Mikasa looked dazed for a moment but immediately turned her head away gasping for oxygen desperately.

Levi watched as Mikasa panted for breath heavily; her face completely flushed a tint of red as she leaned back heavily against the hard wooden door. She couldn't keep doing this, her legs felt weak, the strong pull of gravity beckoning her to fall, her mind was a glorious mess, tired, confused and…aroused. Levi grasped for Mikasa as she swayed, the heat of it all making her head dizzy and incoherent - but Mikasa instinctively pulled back, swatting at his hands defensively, stubbornly.

_**This girl…  
**_  
She heard a soft click, and reached to pull away from Levi, but he grabbed her arm and dragged her quickly across the office and slammed her against the desk at the other end of the room as though it had just been besides them, knocking the perpendicular pencils and utensils out of line. Levi's eyes rose over to the chaise lounge, debating, and Mikasa soon felt her body land onto a custioned surface.

Slightly disoriented, Mikasa heard the sound of her belt being pulled loose and felt Levi slowly undo her trousers. The Corporal slid his hand into her soft hair, running his nose over hers, his breath fanning over her face.

"Say it." He whispered desperately, his voice heavy with lust, Mikasa peered up at him, lost. "Ackerman." He pushed again, trying once more to gain the control he so desperately wanted.

"…" Mikasa's eyes were glazed over, mouth slightly open, gaping for air, but then she whimpered when Levi pushed against her body. She could feel his firm body against hers, and his lower region hard against her, Levi slowly dragged his hand downwards, over her muscled stomach and slipped under her lower bindings, sliding his deftly fingers against her skin gently. Levi clenched his eyes together for a brief moment.

"Ahh…"

Not wanting to have her voice intoxicate him more he spoke out, "Shh, Ackerman." He murmured softly against her skin, his voice heavy with desire, deeper than she'd heard it before, it made her legs feel weak and her lower abdomen fluttered slightly, then shot lower.

Why had his voice become that arousing?

Mikasa leaned her forehead against Levi's collar bone as she panted airlessly against the surface of the toned skin before her. Levi's hands deftly stroked against her sensitive skin, massaging seductively, and sliding a single digit over her wetness.

"Shit." He hissed out painfully, "Mikasa…" He murmured deeply into her ear, her name ghosting past his lips as he nipped at the soft lobe, his deep voice adding to her arousal, his words sent electricity shocks down to her core and she bit her lip harshly, trying desperately to keep the moans at bay.

He gently pulled out of her pants and nudged her legs open; she complied automatically, desiring his touch, her body leading her through the moment. He pulled her trousers down so she was only in her lower bindings beneath him and he slipped his lone finger back inside them and ran the digit over her lower lips again, her breath got rigid in his ear, and he slipped his finger into her, breathing in heavily at the sudden squeezing and contracting around it - she was tight. He furrowed his eyebrows and grit his teeth.

"W-wait…" Mikasa finally spoke up, voice shaky and suddenly gaining some realisation of what was happening. Levi grunted against her, subconsciously ignoring her sudden decision.

Mikasa gasped and bit back a moan as Levi panted against her skin, and began slowly withdrawing his finger, then pushing it back inside her warm, slick cavern. Her muscles clamped tightly around his finger again, in an attempt to get friction. Mikasa was heaving, her body sending signals to her brain, telling her she wanted more, needed it, and craved it so badly. She bit back a whimper and forced herself not allow any noise to leave her; she clamped her eyes shut harder in effort.

The loud drumming in Mikasa's ears sounded continuously, her heartbeat and the pulsing in her body was like a countdown to her complete surrender. For a moment she nearly forgot herself and almost moaned aloud as Levi lightly pinched the small nub between his thumb and finger. To prevent the moan from escaping from her mouth, she bit onto Levi's shoulder, and he tensed slightly in painful surprise as his skin was attacked by her teeth.

Mikasa clenched her eyes shut again, this time in sheer ecstasy as he continued to caress the small nub. She didn't know what the feeling was, but she felt so close…

_**This girl was…  
**_  
Levi froze for a moment in thought, something on his mind; but Mikasa's mind was hazy, she complied with her bodies demands and lifted her hand up, gripping into his dark hair.

"Fuck…" she whispered, voice heavy with desire. Levi gripped hold of her raised hand, entwining his fingers with hers once again and pushed it back down against the cushioned surface, leaning over.

Levi closed his eyes, grasping the situation before them, composing himself, his breathe fanning over her face in hot puffs. He soon opened them as she raised her injured hand and grazed it over his face, back to his hair – as his fingers stroked over her lower lips, and dipped back into her passage; she gasped at the intrusion and arched her body up, making Levi groan in frustration as she ground against his hips. He used his deftly thumb to rub against her clit, creating a circular pattern.

Mikasa's heartbeat was back to its heavy tempo, drumming in her ears.  
Mikasa felt herself getting closer to that feeling again, the one that felt like she would explode into a million pieces. She wanted it, and she rocked her hips eagerly against Levi's hand. He grunted deeply, burying his face into her throat, copying his earlier action nipping at it softly while panting against her skin until she threw her head back.

Her eyes scrunched together tightly, mouth hung open and she reached her release. Her entire body went stiff, muscles clenching as her core exploded into unmatched amounts of pleasure, her mind was a bright haze of white and her heart beat hammered loudly, her panting continued as she came down from her high, mouth dry.

Levi buried his head into her neck still, and sighed heavily, gritting his teeth. He pulled away suddenly, careful not to not touch Mikasa again as he moved away. Mikasa's mind was still in bliss, mouth hung open begging for air as he raised his gaze down to her lone figure.

"Shit." He hissed out suddenly, his voice strained and heavy as he turned his head to stare at the dull wall away from Mikasa, his chest rising and falling harshly. He seemed to be fighting himself, but Mikasa's cloudy mind didn't pick it up, her eyes began drooping

He ran a tensed hand through his dark strands, eyes clenched tightly together as he ran the hand over his face, trying to compose himself once more. His teeth grit harshly as he picked her jacket up from the floor. Levi's body was rigid as he turned his head back to the girl – her eyes were closed, causing him to let out a shaky exhale. He carefully walked over to her, placing her jacket over her body and quickly turned to leave - he collected the disgarded letter from the floor - clicking and locking the door softly as he briskly retreated.

**_This girl was going to be the death of him…_**

* * *

Mikasa's eyes slowly began to open, eyelashes fluttering a few times before widening, trying to focus from her sleepy, cloudy vision. Her mind was foggy, deep within half sleep as she raised her hand up to her face. She exhaled softly, her muscles were so relaxed, she felt so calm, her usually tense body was restful.

Her ears perked at the soft sound of…nothing. Mikasa's dark eyes snapped open wide and shot to her side quickly, discerning her whereabouts; a desk, bookshelves, scarily clean…

The girls heart was pounding furiously now, eyes scanning the room as she shot her body up into a sitting position. _Oh shit, oh no…_

Mikasa's looked down in panic, removing the jacket from her body; her eyes landed on her exposed abdomen and chest, shirt open, trousers untied. Mikasa stared down in horror, her heart clenched in worry as her mind locked onto the prior occurances.

**_Oh fuck._**

* * *

**R I P. **_I wasn't so sure about the flow, but I hope it's alright__ as it is, I may revise it at the weekend when I've got some time._

_Rated M now, btw._


	10. 十

**Warm morning light** shone through the oak paned window as Mikasa stalked around her room, her eyes were focused downward as her onyx tresses cast a gloomy shadow over her pallid features. Slender fingers were locked in a battle with one another in a desperate, almost pathetic attempt at easing the anxious feeling curdling deep within her belly.

A harsh sigh slipped past her lips as her eyes shot up, locking with the door across the room from her. Mikasa eyed it cautiously; it seemed far more daunting than a mere door should be to the teen, but it wasn't the door that had the girl on edge.

Mikasa instinctively chewed the inside of her lower lip in deep thought, eyes still scanning the offending door, but they narrowed suddenly - glacing away as Mikasa let out a scoff of pure annoyance.

"Dammit."

Mere seconds passed and Mikasa gingerly covered the distance that laid between her and the wooden object. Her hand shot out, gripping a hold of the door handle and her digits tensed around metal as she tested it. Mikasa paused.

This really shouldn't be so difficult. She felt so stupid for even reacting in such a ridiculous way.

Even if the object of her torment was out there, she could easily traipse right on by the bastard. Without even gracing him with a single look.

Coal hair swayed as Mikasa shook her head in irritation and exhaled harshly as she closed her eyes, her palipitating heart sped up tenfold as she coaxed the door open and took a step out into the corridor. She habitually glanced to where the male always stood, but it was baron of person. Her head turned then, checking the other side.

The corridor was empty.

Completely empty. Nobody was there, just a few voices coming from somewhere in the distance. Mikasa felt a rush of mixed emotion, but the overwhemling feeling of being perplexed flooded her senses - he wasn't here?

Dark eyes thinned ceremoniously, her orbs staring uneasily at the empty place he customarily stood, and then she bit her lower lip. She sighed heavily.

This should be a _good_ thing…

* * *

Thundering, defined steps echoed heavily against the dry dirt ground, hooves echoed out the steady - but harsh - beat as they connected with the dirt below like deep drums in a monotomous strum of rhythm. Flakes of mud and dust flew up like bullets into the cool air. Strong, lean muscles of the beasts rippled in their quick movements, their manes and tails streamed behind them in tandem like ghostly tendrils as the group advance forward. The faces of the riders held firm – focused and determined.

The group ran as if one; in forward motion, flashes of white, black and brown shades blurred into one as they progressed through the open vastness. A lone cart followed, being towed in tandem behind a pair of mares, the wheels spinning at unfathomable speeds. The occupant lay covered with a thick green material, shielding them from sight.

A heavy groan coiled out from beneathe the green quilt, but it fell upon deaf ears.

* * *

Mikasa Ackerman brushed the dark, coarse hair of the horse before her, brush gripped tightly in her hand as she ran the bristles through the beasts mane softly.  
Her hand movements wavered, slowing, until they eventually halted completely.

The horse bowed it's head and nuzzled into her arm gently, signalling the want to receive more attention from the young girl. But Mikasa was staring into the distance, mind transfixed on another thing - another incident, another person – causing her thoughts to wander and exit the realm of reality.

Though Mikasa hadn't seen the object of her thoughts in several days now, those few days had been filled with conflicting thoughts of the person: half of her angry and bitter at allowing what had happened to occur; for being so weak, being so stupid as to let her guard down for even second around him. For ever allowing herself to fall victum to such corruption.

But, much to Mikasa's avid denial, there was another part of her - deep inside her - which craved it even more now that she'd indulged herself with the forbidden fruit.

Allowing his hands to run over her body, dragging across her flesh and against h- Mikasa's cheeks flushed a mild shade of crimson as her thoughts resurfaced more intimate details of what had transpired between the pair. She shook her head desperately, _pathetically,_ to cease the progression of her thoughts which had caused her skin to ripple, allowing goosebumps to rise.

She shouldn't think about such things.

She really _shouldn't._

Mikasa focused back onto the being before her, trying to pull her thoughts out of those risqué memories.

The creature before her was a beautiful horse, Mikasa thought, but her temperamental disposition made her quite feared amongst the other soldiers - all besides Mikasa it seemed.

Perhaps it was because she was the only of her breed in the stables - such was Mikasa the last of the Oriental race.

During Eren and Mikasa's time early on after joining the Scouting Legion, Mikasa had quickly become quite fond of the horse, though she never knew who the owner was.

This recollection sparked another memory to conjure within Mikasa's mind to months prior when, during cleaning duties, the horse had barely missed kicking Connie with its hind legs – this had caused Connie to fall, scattering all the hay he was carrying over the ground. Sasha, Jean and Eren all laughed hysterically as Armin aided him in gaining some composure. Mikasa vividly recalled Jean commenting cockily, stating Connie must have some serious bad luck with the ladies, even the female horses.

Connie had then dusted himself off and muttered that at least he had better luck than Eren.

The small smile that had curved onto Mikasa's lips now went downcast, her eyebrows furrowed as she sucked in her lower lip, biting down on the soft flesh gently.

It felt like a lifetime since everyone had left to retreive Eren, and Mikasa had been so caught up in other thoughts,_ other people_, that she hadn't focused her thoughts on Eren much at all. Her heart clenched hard in her chest - she'd **betrayed** him…

She loved Eren. She had loved Eren ever since they were children. He was the _only_ person who held her heart.

So, why wasn't she thinking of him always, hoping he'd return soon? Mikasa didn't understand. She missed Eren. She loved Eren. Why wasn't he always on her mind like he had been all these years? Why had she…

A heavy, drawn out sigh escaped her shaky, parted lips.

''_Eren…_'' his name whispered out softly, thick with sadness and pain. Her dark eyes were softly prickling now; all the confusing and disorientating emotions were taking a toll on her mind.

Mikasa lowered her head to the horses snout and closed her eyes briefly. She wanted to see him.

A sigh drifted out of her as she raised her head, glancing around the area, wary of any intruder that may be lurking.

The Corporal hadn't exactly given Mikasa permission to not stay by his side, but he also hadn't come to find her yet. But that didn't mean he'd not manifest into existance when she wasn't looking.

And now that Mikasa freely allowed herself to think about it, a strange feeling had been lingering over her.

She glanced behind herself, toward the building and her narrowed eyes landed onto a single window in the far corner of the stucture. That window, that room, that _pers_-

Mikasa looked away in horror.

Movement. She'd seen _movement_. She quickly raged a war with herself in an attempt at gaining some semblance of composure - this was _pathetic_, she was probably just imagining it. She gripped the brush within her fingers, casting her slender fingers through the horses mane out of nervousness.

A few long moments ticked by until she once again turned to the building behind her, eyes locking onto the same window.

Mikasa's orbs scanned up the glass, and she took a soft intake of oxygen that caught in her throat. Dispite the distance, her dark, wide hues locked with narrowed lidded ones. Mikasa couldn't force herself to look away, his gaze seemingly coaxing her in.

His face was placcid and calm, arms crossed characteristically over his broad chest as he stared intently back into Mikasa's coal coloured eyes, never faltering from her gaze.

After several static moments, Mikasa found the strength to haul her eyes from his and span on her heel, a ragged breath escaping her.

She'd locked eyes with the Corporal. It had only been mere seconds, but it felt like an eternity to Mikasa, and it made a scowl play across her features and her teeth to grit in anger. The palpitating heart within her chest rapidly sped up to a tempo the teen wasn't comfortable with. Mikasa felt a wave of nervousness wash over her, followed by annoyance at her reaction.

The idea of heading to her room seemed like a very nice idea to Mikasa right about now.

With that, the inky haired girl lead the horse back into its stable, and turned on her heel, heading in a direct beeline to her room, all the while fuming about her rudimentary reaction.

_Since when had the stoic eyed Corporal been looking at Mikasa with more than just nothingness within his lidded eyes?_

* * *

The heavy rap of knuckle upon wood echoed through the cool evening air.  
Corporal Levi's dull, half lidded hues snapped to the timber door across the room, surveying it momentarily before casting his gaze back away toward outside. His eyes locked onto a retreating figure, not even bothering to respond to the lingering presence behind the door.

"Corporal Levi, sir." a meek, soft voice called from behind the door a few moments later. "Your presence is requested…Hanji sent me."

_Tch._

Levi furrowed his eyebrows and directed his forehead into his tense arm, which was leant up against the window frame.

For several days the Corporal had confined himself in his office, avoiding the other soldiers and officers best he could. It was common knowledge that Levi's tempermental moods often caused him to seek the refuge of his office within the main building. The male tucked himself away from the presence of others, preferring to be encompassed in his own thoughts than be surrounded by the constant flith that encrusted the majority of the building outside his pristine box.

And after the events of a few days prior, this was definitely one of those times.

The rapping on the door came again, more insistent this time, and Levi exhaled heavily. The idea of Hanji was definitely not a pleasant thought - that person was definitely not someone he wanted to be around in his current mood. Or any mood, for that matter. But the bastard on the other side of the door was unyielding, knocking once again and calling his name questioningly.

Levi's thoughts were, and had been, for the past few days, filled with the events of earlier in the week. He attempted preoccupying himself with tasks, but he ultimately found it irksome that the tasks effects seemed to dull shortly after.

And thus, try as he may to keep himself away from the memories, his mind kept drifting to her over and over again. He had tried to keep them at bay best he could, trying to forget she even existed – it was the only way to rid her intoxicating being from his mind. However, Mikasa remained there, in his thoughts, nigh on palpable, forceful, unyielding and defiant. Just like her actual self.

It didn't help whatsoever that while earlier, a few days prior, he'd looked out of the window to his office, and his eyes locked onto a figure lounging by the stables. He'd leant up against the window frame with his forearm and watching her intently as she petted and groomed Levi's personal horse, all the while he bit onto his thumb softly in thought as he watched her every move from afar.

Though Levi didn't understand what drove him to look in the first place, he knew nothing would come of him staring at her like some weird stalker. A weird stalker who tried to pull away, only to have the girl gawking at him with some untempered desire in her eyes.

Levi sighed breathily.

He just didn't understand it; what attracted him so drastically to Ackerman? Was it those crystal dark hues eyes that stared fearlessly at him? Was he lusting after her simply because she defied him and she riled up feelings of annoyance within him that drove him to insanity? She was a defiant brat, and Levi decided he should keep his distance for now.

Levi let out another small, audible sigh. What was he doing? Wasting time on such meaningless nonsense…

This was unsatisfactory of his usual self.

The Corporal steadily removed his hand from the window frame, then turned and walked to his oak desk, his brunette strands shielded his eyes as he reached out to take a hold of the mug on the coaster, taking a hefty gulp of the caffeinated liquid within it.

He supposed he'd rather distract his mind with Hanji than grovelling in his deplorable thoughts before he headed to bed.

* * *

Mikasa froze mid step at the words spoken by the woman walking beside her, "Corporal Levi..?"

The new morning rays of sun cast a soft glow over Hanji's face as she turned more toward Mikasa and blinked in an almost confused manner, "Yes, the grumpy pants." she affirmed with a mild joke. Mikasa didn't laugh.

Before her, Hanji was oblivious to the tense feelings emitting from the younger female soldier, and continued walking down the hall, an almost skip-hop rhythm in her flamboyant step.

"He used you the other day for some errands, yes?" she pointed out casually, leaving no room for an answer. Mikasa failed to mention the inaccuracy of her statement.

The woman turned back to glance at Mikasa a moment later, eyes slightly wide, wondering why she'd stopped moving.

"W-what? Bu…I-I can't." Mikasa fumbled over her words in a feeble attempt at denial to the other womans request. Her voice was coarse and dry.

"Don't be silly! Of course you can." Hanji chirped, "He requires someone to aid him with some things in his office – he recently received some important news ." Hanji paused, realising she perhaps said too much before she caught her ramblings. "Anyway! Off you go!" she turned, making her way down the hall, not even waiting for Mikasa to respond again.

Mikasa's eyes watched the older female head down the hallway as she stood frozen still like a carved out ice sculpture. Her deep eyes shot down and locked onto the ground below, transfixed on no spot in particular. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest, the rhythm and power feeling as though it was shaking her entire frame, the sound echoing through her mind in hard thumps. She couldn't go to him…

Mikasa's heart was erratic, confusing emotions coursed through her veins in place of her blood, her mind was a rush of thoughts, memories and worries.

The girl clenched her fist tightly, the strength she used shaking her toned arm slightly. She lifted her bound appendage up; the arm was nearly fully healed now, and only a dull fuzzing throb emitted from it, but unable to use if she needed to punch something, or someone. Mikasa then pulled her red scarf up over the lower part of her face. Just think of Eren. She took a deep breath, composing herself.

_She'd be fine._

All she had to do was keep her distance, not talk about what happened, avoid his eyes, his body…avoid him.

_She'd be fine._

Perhaps she'd finally find out what was within the envelope from several days prior.

And if anything happened, she'd gladly punch the bastard.

* * *

Mikasa jolted as she watched the timber door open from down the hall, her eyes locked onto the threshold as a body came flying out of the room. The boy scampered across the floor, horror seeping across his face as he scrambled up and apologised profusely towards the figure looming in the doorframe. The owners eyes glared down at the boy, his ominous aura almost choking him as he the males lip quivered, as if he was about to break any second. A baritone voice reverberated through the hall, though the figure never left the room.

"Don't let me find you being a worthless, shit-headed brat again, or I will make you regret it." the tone was dull and uncaring.

_Ah._ Mikasa knew that voice.

"Y-yes, sir!"

Mikasa stood positioned down the hall as the boy quickly made his retreat in her direction. His eyes flashed timidly to hers, and now upclose, she could see the panic in his face much clearer.

She knew who it was, she recognised his face - he was in the small group of people who'd joined the Scouting Legion not long after Eren and Mikasa. The boys gaze darted away as he quickly scrambled by her, keeping his head down and cradling his face with a shaky hand.

Levi had scared the shit out of him.

A loud bang echoed through the hall as the door to Levi's office closed firmly shut. Mikasa turned and glanced back at the boy before making her way forward. It appeared the Corporal was having a bad day.

Mikasa stopped dead a few feet from the door leading into his office. She looked around her surroundings, assessing if anyone else was present to see her awkward lingering. Only empty halls were displayed before her.

She sighed, staring at the door for several torrid moments, and rapped her hand softly against the wooden door twice, her heart was still beating a heavy pace, thumping against her ribcage – or at least, that's what it felt like.

The last time she'd been here, she'd… Mikasa scowled at the risqué thoughts and focused herself mentally, trying to listen for a call to enter the room - or even the door opening.

None came.

Mikasa concluded he probably didn't want to be disturbed, but it was more so based on hope than a completely logical assessment.

She waited a few more moments, and decided to try again, just to prove she wasn't backing away like a wary child. Her hand raised up and she sighed before aiming her knuckles against the thick timber.

* * *

Levi exited the adjacent room within his office, a mug of freshly hot tea was cradled in his right hand as he strolled through the room and over to his oak desk. He set the warm item down quickly on the coaster and dropped down onto his chair, throwing his legs onto his desk and leaning back, sighing outwardly.

Today was supposed to be Levi's day off, and thus, the Corporal wasn't in his usual attire; just in a simple, loose, light grey cotton shirt that clung to his muscles lightly and black fitted trousers. No cravat was present around his neck. He had been sucked into errands by Hanji and the soon, ever approaching event.

He blinked a few times and looked down at the desk, a few papers were scattered on its surface – he'd thrown them down carelessly when he'd gone to grab the kid who was recently in the room just a few minutes prior.

"_Tch_, stupid brats…" he murmured to himself as he collected them, piling them neatly on the desk. He didn't have patience with other people recently, especially when they were defiant brats.

Levi quirked a brow at his next thought, but it was prematurely interrupted by a soft rap of dual knocks at his door.

The male groaned lightly and closed his eyes after exhaling a sharp breath of air. He'd just sat down and already some other fool was outside his door, beckoning his attention.

Perhaps he'd ignore it and let the fool linger outside before they decided to leave, as not to anger him. A few moments passed and Levi's gaze descended, eyeing the lower part of the door across the room dully - he sighed. The shadow under the doorway was still present.

As if on cue, three more raps echoed from the wooden frame.

He narrowed his eyes at the door as if it was the person itself. He pulled his legs off of the desk and stood up. It took mere milliseconds for Levi to arrive at his destination, and he grabbed the handle, forcing the door to open with one hand as he ran a hand through his tousled strands with the other. The hand then gripped the wooden frame of the door and he slouched over.

"Oi, shithead, wh-" Levi paused, mouth still forming the silent words that were left unsaid. Mikasa stood before him, heavy eyes peering at him as he stood with his hand still on the door, holding it open.

She instinctively held her right hand up to that damned red scarf that had found its way back around her neck, gripping it, pulling it slightly up so she could bury her face into the soft, old material. Levi inwardly grimaced at the act. She quickly diverted her eyes away from his orbs, which for once held emotion – pure shock.

Levi stood slouched over, staring at her. _Why was she here?_

He instinctively went on the offensive, expecting her to hurl a fist his way. Rationally concluding that perhaps she'd just needed a few days to gather her wits and composure before she striked. It wouldn't be surprising of her - at all.

"What are you doing here, Ackerman?" his deep, baritone voice spoke, causing the girl's heart to miss a beat, and her frame to tense – she didn't expect him to sound so close, so real. And now the oxygen around her thicker, harsher. His presence was now slowly wrapping around her form, embracing her senses as she cast a glance to his face.

"Hanji." she replied quickly, hiding her discomfort, the words coming out on her dry tongue.

"Hanji?" he questioned as he rose he gaze back up to Mikasa, confused. "What about that four-eyed, shitty loon?"

Mikasa looked at him this time perplexed, ignoring his insulting names for the older woman.

A frown appeared on her features, "She said you needed me," Mikasa quickly glanced at him, and then away shortly after as a soft gasp emitted from her, "t-to help with something, sir." she fumbled awkwardly, internally bubbling at herself as she avoided his gaze once more.

Levi opened his mouth slightly as if to speak, but nothing came, only silence and the slight quirk of the corner of his mouth into an amused curl.

"Right." Levi replied almost too softly, tone still dull. Mikasa registered that as acceptance and took a timorous step forward as if to enter the room, but Levi raised his masculine palm up, halting her entry. "No."

Mikasa looked at him, bewilderment swirling within her large eyes. He motioned for her to head down the hall, "Not here." the words came out brittle and harsh as he watched her turn her gaze before she nodded, making her way away from the office.

Levi exhaled a stiff, held breath after releasing the door from his unknowingly tightened grasp.

* * *

As soon as Mikasa entered the empty courtyard, she felt his powerful aura surround her, choking the cool air she needed to survive, replacing it with thick, heavy-to-breathe particles. Her heart picked up momentarily as she glanced behind her, watching as Levi stalked a few strides behind her before coming to a dead halt. His eyes stayed trained on her as she took shelter under the tree from the sun's rays.

It was now Mikasa noticed his attire, and she barely caught herself from allowing her eyes to stalk over her body that was displayed casually to her. Oh fuck, what was wrong with her.

She turned her eyes to focus on something else…anything.

"I, uh…" Mikasa mumbled, suddenly hating herself for not acting like her usual self. Why was she acting so absurd?

"Ackerman."

_Shit._ Mikasa's muscled clenched in anticipation at the sudden spoken word.

His voice sent unwanted reactions down her body - when had his voice affected her so? When had it even been more than just a bored, lifeless drone?

When Mikasa glanced up, Levi stood a few steps away from her, his eyes glancing at her timidly, they raked up her face from her clothed neck to her eyes. Their hues locked and Mikasa felt the urge to up and run, his stare was intense, and it made parts of her do stupid things she couldn't comprehend.

Coming here was such a stupid idea.

"So," Levi cleared his throat softly as he leant back against the rim the wall near to the tree, folding his arms carefully, "tell me again."

Mikasa blinked at him, "What?"

"Why, _Ackerman_, are you…" Levi leaned over in Mikasa direction, arms still crossed over his chest, _"here."_

The pure feeling of being vulnerable never felt so palpable and real since this past week, and again, Mikasa was falling witness to it.

"W-Hanji said t-"

"No, Ackerman. _Why_ _come_?"

A mixed wave of unease and annoyance washed over her – was he seriously questioning her about this? Why did it matter, she obviously only came because she'd been instructed to do so…

"I'm not sure I know what you mean."

The look of undetermined response was clearly evident on Levi's stern face, his eyes narrowed a fraction as he stood up straight as he pushed away from the stone wall. He looked extremely tense. Infact, Mikasa realised he had the whole time.

Mikasa stood in a frozen stance of uncertainty, and she awkardly glanced away.

"Don't act coy. It's unbefitting of even _you_, Ackerman."

The girls eyes slit into a narrow glare and shot daggers at her commanding officer, "I'm sure. And obviously I give a shit what you think." she retorted sardonically.

"Watch your language." Levi scorned, "And you didn't answer my question. It would be wise to do so."

A moment of silence would have passed, if it weren't for Mikasa's scoff.

"You're one to talk – you never did tell me, what was in that letter?" she tried to alter the trajectory topic matter to him, still unsure why she cared so much about the damn letter. Something about it was just irking her, perha-

Before Mikasa had time to fully react, Levi leant towards her, arms still crossed over his chest, his scent rapidly flooding her senses, making her mind quake in a hazy and unsure rhythm. Dark eyes widened and Mikasa's heart began pounding frantically in her chest when she realised the proximity to the male, instinctively taking a step back.

"As I said before, it is none of your concern." he mumured out harshly, eyes staring blankly at the girl before him.

The wind blew softly past Mikasa's tresses, causing them to sway against her face. Silence engulfed the pair as the odd feeling the two of them felt began to creep more prominently to the surface.

"Well?"

Mikasa held his gaze defiantly, needing to retreive some token of her self from this wreck of unease and uncertainty.

Levi watched her carefully, his eyes roamed over her depths, looking for something within. His arms relaxed, one now by his side, another ran through his hair in an irriated fashion.

A step was all it took to force Mikasa from out from below her dome of defiance and spunk – in sync with Levi, she took a step back as he took one forward.

She nearly tripped over her own feet as they came into contact with a root from the tree, but a firm hand latched onto her bicep, saving her from the descent to the ground.

Mikasa tensed involuntarily, eyes snapping back to his dull orbs which glanced down to her neck. She wanted to pull back, but something had raptured within her, causing her to simply freeze and stare like a lost lamb.

"No, w-what was in the letter?" Mikasa tested again trying to gain some normality from the staic filled air around the duo. Her attempt at trying to sound firm and sure failed, and it came out as nothing but a mumur.

When no response came, Mikasa began to pull her arm from his grasp, but the sudden jolt from the male caused a gasp to escape her, forcing her to move toward him. His gaze held hers as he leaned toward her, each millimeter he took was another step over the realm of comprehension and reason.

"You have no idea," his deftly fingers ran soft, feather light touched across Mikasa's clothed arms, almost as if he wasn't touching her at all, "how much," his eyes dropped down to Mikasa lips, then re-locked with Mikasa's hues as he continued to lean toward her, his fingers skimmed up her body, digits hooking around crimson red material, "I hate this damned scarf…"

Mikasa took an intake of breath as he tugged at the material, ripping it from her body. Her naked neck felt cold against the cool air as it pricked against her flesh, and she sucked in her lower lip from nervousness. She wanted to respond…to react, but he leaned into her, his lips slowly, almost innocently, hovered just above her own. His breath ghosted over her flesh, causing the skin beneathe to ripple and spark. Her heart was palpitating so harshly that it thumped in her ears, a dull ringing echoed through her mind as she stared doe eyed down at his slightly parted lips, watching as his tongue languidly ran over the plump mound of skin. His breath was warm against her bare flesh, then he slowly began to lean forward, his lips skimming over hers, their breaths mingling in hot exhales.

"**MIKASA**!" the shrill voice caught the pair by surprise, dragging the two of them out of their trance-like state. Mikasa snapped her mouth closed, forcing her neck back slightly and she froze as the figure began to come into focus. Levi lolled his head to the side, eyes holding firm, glaring passively at the intruder.

Armin Arlert. The boy came to a skidding halt, frozen on the spot, his eyes wide, breathing heavy and uneven. Levi expected what was to come.

The girl in his arms immediately shot back, smacking her head against the bark of the tree; she tried to shove Levi away from her again, but he held onto her defiantly, tilting his head more to the side, he glared at the blonde boy who'd interrupted. Mikasa struggled to gain the needed composure she so desperately wanted, but then turned her attention to her friend.

"Armin…" she started, her voice was panicked, shaky – laced with something strange.

Armin looked shocked, his mind not quite processing what he had just came upon, but he shook his head frantically, needing to tell her. And with breathy gasps he spoke:

"M-Mika! T-they're back!" His pants came out thick and uneven. Levi felt the girl tense in his arms considerably - both of them knew what was about to be spoken. _"Eren's back!"_

Levi felt a strong surge of power from the girl as he was hurled from her form - he stumbled back slightly at the force - he hadn't expected that much power so suddenly from the girl. He glanced with hooded eyes at Mikasa and watched as she began to sprint away. Armin soon followed suit after, but he glanced back at the Corporal, azure eyes still wide, shock encompassed within their depths.

Levi's eyes passed over the boy's face. He could see the palpable shock etched across his face as if it were written in red ink.

The older male scoffed to himself, uncaring about the fact Arlert had just seen the intimate postion the two were just in.

So Eren was back? That was interesting, if not an annoyance, since Mikasa seemed far too eager to run to him. His eyes narrowed as he looked down into the distance at Mikasa's small, retreating form. Levi noted the inner sour feeling that was seeping into his mind.

"Ridiculous."

It surprised Levi how he had reacted to the knowledge of Eren's return - it was expected, that was for sure, but what Levi wasn't expecting was the lingering, odd feeling within him.

Levi glanced down toward his hands, the red, dirtied scarf still within his deftly fingers. His grip on it tightened, not enjoying the strange feeling he was experiencing.

He sent one last glance to Mikasa's fading figure before he turned on his heel, making his way in the opposite direction, heading to where Commander Erwin should soon be present.


	11. 十一

**The dust-glittered ground** crunched under the weight of Mikasa's dirtied boots as she came to an abrupt halt, just short of the last line of defence keeping Eren from her. Having slipped by the few scattered guards that were lingering around the perimetre, she'd finally come face to face with the holding cell of her adopted brother.

She leant over, hands poised on her kneecaps as her dry lips parted slightly, releasing the torrid puffs of air in heavy, uneven pants. The soft droplets of rain hit her form. Mikasa's tongue darted out instinctually to wet the plush swell of her lips with the warm muscle, and then raised her hand up, using the back of it to wipe away the perspiration and rain that clung desperately to her porcelain skin. One final pant escaped Mikasa's mouth as she straightened her spine, eyes snapped up to lock onto the old, fortress-like door that lead down into the dungeons below.

* * *

Mikasa's onyx eyes held a fiery determination only she was capable of as she took the final few steps toward the offending, ancient mahogany door. The force and speed of which she hauled the heavy open with sent a jolt of pain through her wrapped arm. Surpressing a groan, Mikasa scowled and entered over the threshold into the dark portal below – door moaning behind her at its age and weight as it was closed.

Darkness collapsed around Mikasa. Her pupils dialated habitually, and she took a shaky breath, her orbs focused down into the depths of stone pillar steps, where some semblance of a light source was flickering warily.

Her feet carried her swiftly down the thick stone staircase, careful not to lose her footing as she descended. Upon reaching the final step, she came into the faintly lit corridor that lead down into two others. Mikasa peered down the sombre route she planned to take, mentally thanking Sasha for informing her where they'd taken the boy.

Albeit, the girl was unsure why Eren was taken here at all, unconvinced that the dungeon was a fitting place for a boy who'd just been saved from his captures. Why not take him to his room? The infirmary? Confusion tolled in her mind, but she shook it off absentmindedly, concluding it wasn't relevant right now to think of such things. The need to see him was more prominent. More necessary.  
Mikasa took a moment to regain some control over her palpitating heart.

He was _back._

This thought alone shattered any previous attempt at calming herself; her heart was now hammering wildly in her chest, but to her dismay, she couldn't believe he really was here until she saw him for herself, in front of her own eyes.

The teenager made her way down the dreary tunnel, lined with dim torches in an arbitrary pattern. As she neared the end and turned to the left, not too far from her stood a ruly soldier. He immediately stood at attention, quickly becoming aware of her presence.

"Oi, you there! Y'shouldn't be down 'ere!" his strongly lilted voice echoed down the stone-walled tunnel, and he reached his large hand out as he neared Mikasa in an attempt to apprehend her. His endeavours were in futile as Mikasa quickly darted away from his grasp, scraping her back against the stone wall behind her as she dodge away from him.

"I need to see him." Mikasa spat out far more hostile than she'd intended, and it caused the man to raise an eyebrow at her.

"Nah, I can't let y'past, I have me _orders_: the Jager kid ain't allowed no visitors right now, s'rry sweet'art."

The patronising tone he used resulted in Mikasa louring up at the towering male with her deep set eyes, the intensity nearly causing him to flinch.

"Someone's there with the kid now, y'ain't gettin' by - get lost, darlin'."

Several silent seconds hung in the dry, ambient air, but she made no start to move. The male rolled his auburn eyes in a mocking manner, reaching out his hands once more in another attempt to grab the girl. Having expected such, Mikasa quickly ducked from his hand, narrowly missing his thick digits from gripping her collar, and nimbly skimmed past him - using her leg as a tool to send the man flying before hurrying along down the mundane tunnel.

She was not going to be stopped from seeing Eren, especially not when she was _so close_ to the boy.

A loud clang of metal was heard behind her as the would-be guard of the year connected with it. The man staggered against the cell behind him.

"Oi! Get back 'ere!" he called angrily, trying to regain himself before heading after the spunky teen.

Mikasa came to an immediate halt when she came into view of Eren's cell, her chest rose and fell softly and her eyes peered intently, almost cautiously through the metal bars that confined him.

Rigidly, Mikasa's entire frame froze still as her eyes raked over his body; it was covered in dried blood, the red liquid had stained the sheets beneath him slightly, the crimson pattern on the white linen looked much like wings spread open, as if Eren were capable of flight. His usually wide, enthusiastic emerald eyes were shut, and the tanned skin he always had was paler than she remembered. Mikasa stared blankly at his face, eyes stinging from the threat of falling tears. Dragging her eyes over his pallid features once more, she paused at his mouth, hung lightly open. It didn't even look like his chest was moving.

Was he even _breathing_?

When guard finally reached Eren's cell, he was panting dramatically, yelling random curses at her, but Mikasa's gaze never left Eren's body. She was uncaring toward the guard's presence, almost ignoring it completely. The tall male quirked a brow and peeped into the cell, his face grimaced at the sight inside causing his gaze to shoot straight back to the girl nearing the dimly lit cell – she reached her hand out to touch the cold metal bars, wrapping her fingers around an icy rod.

Hanji stood over him, her body looming over his unconscious form, inspecting him. The slashes on his toned chest were deep and Hanji held a bandage in the palm of her hand, recently having wrapped his head in the material. Mikasa stared at his still body, eyes not taking a second to even blink. She couldn't look away. Her hues refused to, they only wanted to take in the sight before her.

She needed to.

What had happened? Why was he hurt so badly? He wasn't healing – _**why**_? She should have been there. If she had been there, this wouldn't have happened. Eren was hurt because she hadn't protected him like she had sworn to.

The girls face was striken with anger and pain as she bit down on her lower lip hard. Mikasa clenched her shaking hands into tight balled fists around the cell's bars. This was avoidable. He was hurt because she hadn't been there.

Rage seethed within Mikasa's skin. The fuel ignited, causing her to shake slightly at the tense posture she held. She could blame herself, but it was just as much _his_ fault. _He_ hadn't let her go. _He'd_ not permitted it, _he_ refused to let her leave, kept her here against her will and he caused Eren to be injured.

Her lip quaked against her teeth as she broke the skin with her pearl canines, the pain failed at forcing her mind away from her rampant thoughts.

Feet from her, the guard stood awkwardly, peering down at her, his gaze rose to Hanji within the cell and the older woman nodded to him, signalling it was acceptable.

The man acknowledged, bowing his head and glanced at the girl before him once more before turning back down the hall, hand scratching the back of his head.

Mikasa's scowl softened, but only slightly, as she walked into the cell after pushing the metal barred door open, the screech of metal against stone shattered through the air, causing Mikasa to cringe. She stepped into the cell, her eyes never leaving Eren's body the entire time. He was so still, almost lifeless.

She hadn't protected him. This was _her_ fault: Eren was hurt because of her failure. Mikasa's eyes pricked, tears lightly forming in her worried, glowering eyes.

Beside the bed, the older woman patted Eren's head softly, ruffling his damp strands as she rose, before turning to Mikasa. Hanji noted the pained, desperate look plastered across the girls face, her dainty mouth was hung open as if wanting to speak, but no sound escaped the girl. She clearly didn't know what to say, or what to do, lost in her torrid thoughts.

"He's going to be okay." the robust voice of the goggle-adorned female spoke, breaking the brittle silence. Mikasa's gaze finally snapped away from Eren to the woman, seeking for truth in the other's stark words.

"From what I know, the little runt transformed after taking one hell of a beating." Hanji affectionately patted the boys head, "He put up a good fight, and saved many people out there." she spoke softly, her usual cheery tone was still lightly evident in her words, and Mikasa almost cringed at it.

It would be a crime to be happy right now; he'd been hurt and she'd not been there to protect him, her promise to their shared mother was fractured beyond repair.

Mikasa's eyes scanned over his body again, looking at the wounds closer up now. He looked so still, like he wasn't even alive. Her heart clenched at the sight as her eyes flew back to his face, if it wasn't for the blood and the wounds, Mikasa would almost label Eren as looking peaceful. Mikasa bunched her eyebrows together, heart trembling at the abominable scene.

"He's just exhausted," Hanji consoled once more, "his body has already started healing - he looked worse when he first arrived." Mikasa's stomach curdled at the vile thought as Hanji looked down at the boy on the bed with calm eyes, "He'll be alright, just make sure _you_ are the same."

She then turned her gaze to Mikasa, the younger girls eyes still locked with the boy's serene face. The older woman watched her eyes narrow more, pained at the sight before her. Hanji quirked a smile, "I need to report to Erwin: watch him while I'm gone, won't you?"

It was less of a question, more of a command – one Mikasa was more than happy to oblige to.

She finally snapped her eyes from Eren's form and looked to Haji, the older woman had a small smile on her face as she approached her, patting her shoulder lightly as she walked by, she shut the barred cell door behind her, casting a glance back to the duo in the cell. Turning, she headed down the hall, her footsteps echoed and soon vanished from earshot.

* * *

"Eren…" Mikasa's voice was just above a whisper, his name was so softly spoken, Mikasa herself barely heard it. Her light footsteps against the floor echoed with each steady step she took and she moved closer to the side of his bed, closer to his side. She dropped down to the floor by the wooden bed, knees pressing harshly against the cold stone floor. Mikasa carefully reached her pale hand out and ran her digits down him arm softly, not wanting to cause him pain, "Eren…" she repeated, several octaves louder than before, and though he didn't respond vocally, his eyes flickered lightly beneath his closed lids.

A warm rush of happiness surged through Mikasa's body, he was alive.  
Mikasa's tears finally broke free of their captivity, the beads slowly running thin streaks of salty liquid down her pale skin. "I missed you, Eren." she whispered, her voice quivering slightly.

Reaching her hand out instinctively, Mikasa grasped a hold of Eren's calloused hand that was resting on the beige sheets - she gripped it possessively, and pulled it up to her face. Her other hand soon joined it, both hands clamping over his single one in a protective shell. Mikasa's eyes blinked in flutters, causing more tears to cascade downward as she pressed the cupped hand to her face, against her wet cheek. She hunched herself over the bed slightly, inhaling his scent; he smelled of blood, sweat and _death_. The aromas tickled at Mikasa's nose and she narrowed her eyes - she could barely smell Eren's own unqiue scent, it was heavily shrouded and masked by the others. This alone riled Mikasa, and she took a shaky breath as she gripped his hand tighter, her fingers clamping over his fist like a vice grip, murmuring his name softly against his warm skin.

Eren's scent, though barely evident through the others, was a far cry from what she had become accustomed to over the fortnight; the musky, deep alluring smell of Corporal Levi. Mikasa jolted at that unnecessary, wicked thought, not sure why she'd even think of such a deplorable thing.

She loved how Eren smelled, why would she even try to compare his to _that _bastards?

Eren's smell was soft and inviting, he smelled of… Eren. That mans scent wasn't even comparable to his, he-

Her thoughts were quickly jolted from their path as a light, but deep groan escaped from the form on the bed, her eyes shot open, the pupils dilated and wide. Mikasa took a shaky breath, "Eren?" her voice was eager but hung heavily with worry.

Eren's head slowly moved at the soft, worried call of his name; his eyes quivered slightly as his bandaged head lolled to the side, his cheek pressing against the cool material of the plush pillow. Mikasa's heart sped up, hammering in her chest as Eren's eyes slowly began to part. _He was rousing._

The boy's eyes stopped parting as they reached their halfway point, his pupils were wide, eyes seemed lost, confused - disorientated - he didn't know where he was. Eren could just make out a dark silhouette just mere feet from of him. The torch above them on the wall shone a hazy, dim light over them, but he couldn't make out the face, his eyes were unfocused. Eren quickly became aware of the dull pain etching through his form. A strong pulsing feeling could be felt inside his skull; the light above them worsening it with it's bright colour, making Eren squint and grunt in annoyance.

_"Eren…"_

Eren's eyes opened again. He recognised that voice, so very well.

"Mi…"

"Eren? Eren, are you okay?" she sounded worried, nigh on desperate.

"Hnn..." Mikasa eyes were wide with worry at his response as she leant closer, her hands gripped his hand tightly, not wanting to let go of it.

Eren soon became aware of the warmth engulfing his right hand, a strong grip encasing it, he sent his hazy, unfocused gaze down to it, two hands; one wrapped in a white, dirtied bandage; the other soft and pale, were gripping a hold of his hand possessively. He closed his blurry eyes at the sight, there was definitely no doubt in his mind it was her. He lolled his head back over so he was facing the ceiling, letting out a pained grunt as he raised his free hand to cover his eyes from the burning light of the flames above.

"Eren! Don't try to move," came a panicked, protective voice, "you're injured, don't move…" the last part came out as a harsh whisper.

Eren's gaze went back to her, eyes now somewhat focusing, allowing him to be able to slightly make out her face in the light. She looked worried, protective, like Mikasa always did whenever she looked at him. Her eyebrows were furrowed, eyes looked pained and hurt, her mouth hung slightly open, chest rising and falling softly. Eren released a sighed and then silence engulfed the room, her soft breathing and his thumping heart were the only sounds he could distinguish within the confined space, and it relaxed him slightly.

Eren rolled his head back in Mikasa's direction.

"W-what h-" he panted heavily, his dry tongue felt like sandpaper in mouth as he tried to continue, "What happened?"

At his coarse sounding voice and question, the girl beside him stared at him lost, not quite sure how to answer. She didn't know what had happened. She hadn't been there…

"Did you save me…" he paused, wetting his lips with his tongue and narrowing his eyes slightly at his next word, "again?" Mikasa stared down at him, her grip on his hand tightened roughly as she bowed her head, resting her forehead against his fist within her hands.

Moments passed, but the seconds seemed like an eternity for Mikasa as she knelt on the cold stone floor, the pit in her stomach ached - she hadn't been the one to save Eren. She'd failed.

"No."

Eren turned his head over more to face her, cheek once again hitting the pillow.

The boy didn't reply, he just stared at her, his eyes a mix of emotion and disorienation. Mikasa's head was still bowed, forehead pressed forcefully against his encase hand. He could lightly feel dampness tracing down her skin when he slightly pulled away, his had was beginning to cramp from the unyielding grip of the girl before him. Mikasa's head shot back slightly as the retreating hand, she released her grip reluctantly, but she kept her head facing down, eyes fixating on the sheets of the bed where Eren lay. She let a heavy sigh escape her lips.

"I missed you, Eren."

There was a soft silence within the room, only the soft shuffling of sheets were heard as Eren attempted to sit up, a groan was heard as he struggled up.

"I know, Mikasa." came his grunted reply, leaning back against the headboard of the bed, "Is everyone else okay?"

Mikasa's head nodded sincerely, she'd seen them at the gates before she'd been told where Eren was taken to - they were fine.

"You're bleeding," Eren remarked, directing his attention to Mikasa lip. Mikasa shrugged it off absentmindedly, licking away any remnants of sanguine. Several moments ticked by.

"Eren…" her lips parted, wanting to speak more, but unsure of what exactly to say, she faltered, "I'm sorry."

"Hah? Sorry for what?" he questioned quizzically, his voice deep and groggy sounding.

Mikasa clenched her fists, not really sure what it was she had solely apologised for. There were many things Mikasa wanted – _needed _\- to apologise to Eren for; some minor, some she didn't want to dwell on at the moment, and some involving acts that made her body feel _odd_ \- uncharacteristically so.

The onyx haired girl bit her lip and raised her head, a smile awkwardly wide on her face, lacking true happiness, soft tears streaking down her ivory face.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to save you, Eren." she immediately bowed her head down again, pressing her face against the damp sheets, hiding her face.

"Eh? Mikasa...you don't have to always save me." he said almost irritably, but his tone lightened, "I can take care of _myself,_ you know."

Mikasa nodded knowingly against the sheets, she knew that, she'd always known that.

Eren was strong, he always had been; he'd saved her when she was kidnapped as a child, he'd shown her how to live life, given her a family, his scarf and he'd been there for her through her life, along with Armin, ever since they were kids. But, Mikasa made a promise, and she'd broken it – shattered it into oblivion, and that pained her tremendously.

Eren's sigh broke the silence that was seeping around the duo. He sent his gaze to Mikasa; her head was still bowed, onyx hair shielding her face from his, "Mikasa, don't be like that." he murmured out softly, "I'm fine, stop worrying about me so much." he pursed his dry lips childish endearment, "It's not necessary."

Mikasa raised her head slightly, her lips appearing from beneath the streams of hair, Eren's emerald eyes locked onto her face almost naturally, "_Ah_," he murmured. Mikasa's head rose up further, eyes locking with his momentarily, "I'm hungry."

As if on cue, Eren's stomach grumbled angrily from the endless pit within his weak body – the timing resulted in Mikasa hitching a laugh, a genuine smile played on her fair lips.

She glanced down at his body, even now his wounds weren't healed, but they did look better than when she'd first arrived, and that was a relief.

Eren's hand was rested back down on the bed, and Mikasa caught sight of it, reaching for it with hers once more. Eren glanced sideways at her, innately used to this foible of Mikasa's. He didn't move it away.

* * *

"...Eren Jager transformed in the midst of our fight with the Shifters. We managed to advance upon their position they held for the night - hiding out within the Giant Trees, not far from a village to the South, several days ride from here. They'd not made much progress, though currently we are unsure as to why." Erwin's voice spoke strongly, "Our advantage was solely based upon them residing in their human forms - causing their escape to halt, he..."

The Scouting Legions Commander's voice seemed to drift off into the distance recesses of Levi's mind, he leant back in his chair, somewhat slouched as he laxly strummed his fingers against his healing appendage.

"...Eren was injured heavily during the altercation with a group of Titans that appeared..."

That was no surprise, the kid was always the one to get involved in unnecessary fights. Levi glanced down at the scarf that he held in hand, it was filthy, and Levi still found it incredible the owner could stand to wear the damned thing around her neck in such a state.

"...Braun was the only one to transform, we assume at this time that Bertolt Hoover was unable to transform, this saved us much effort and caused the ultimate rescue of Eren Jager. "

"Ohh~! Perhaps, much like Eren, they require rest to sustain their transformation." Hanji smiled wickedly, happy at any information gathered on the enemy.

"I gather it would have gone much worse, had he been able to at that time." Pixis spoke plainly, Erwin nodded at his interjection.

Levi looked over to Hanji who had a devilish smile coaxing its way across her face, unable to contain her emotions. He interally scoffed at the loon.

"We can assume so. Even so, Eren became heavily injured. The Titan's soon took to attacking Reiner Braun, engaging in an altercation with one another, halting his advance in retrieving Eren once again."

Hanji's eyes gleamed in excitement, smile growing wider by the second - the Titans had attacked Reiner? A plethora of thoughts rushed through the womans mind at this knowledge. However, she refrained from speaking out again. Levi felt a rising desire to throw someting at the woman to rid her of her creepy smile.

"...other shifter, Ymir, stayed back to aid in our escape, and was safely returned with us. We can only assume they will strike back..."

Hanji nodded in sync with the other officers within the room, an agreed action amongst the officers.

Pixis sighed heavily, "Ah, yes, but the boy is alright, Erwin?"

Erwin turned his gaze to the bald, older male, "Yes, he was injured grievously, but with his regenerative capabilities, he should be healed soon." Pixis nodded, "Out of precaution we have confined him to the dungeon; in his current state we were unsure if he would shift into his Titan form unnecessarily."

"Yes, that would have been a bother." an officer muttered dryly.

A few of the other older officers muttered dreary responses, amongst them were some from the Military Police, a few spoke in hushed tones, commenting how Eren shouldn't even be within the walls after the events verse the Female Titan.

"And what if the child does tranform? How can you be certain he won't threaten our lives?"

Levi's rolled his eyes, he didn't want to listen to the old farts with their unnecessary drabble right now.

"Oi, you'd not be the people to handle the brat if that were to happen, so why worry your saggy asses about it so much?" he drawled to them, they looked at him with annoyance and shock at his brash attitude.

Some minor muttering followed to scorn the Corporal's tone, causing Levi to scowl unimpressed. His rapping fingers stopped. As he went to rise, a voice beckoned him.

"Levi."

Levi's gaze rose to Erwin, his eyes held some restraint, "Head over to Eren and check on him." Levi stared at the man for a moment, masking his boiling annoyance within himself, before closing his eyes, nodding in acknowledgement at his Commander.

* * *

Levi closed the door behind himself, and walked briskly down the droll hallway, he reached up and ran a hand through his hair. His impending destination was surely going to have a certain female dotting around the boy like a lost puppy, it would be uncharacteristic is she wasn't, and Levi's lidded eyes closed in annoyance.

"Such a nuisance." he snarled, more aggressively than he'd intended.

After reaching the steps leading down to the dungeons, the rain had stopped, the clouds above him were clearing, the sun slowly peeking through the remaining ash, unruly cloud masses. Levi reached out and opened the hefty wooden door, heading his way down the large stone slab steps. Upon reaching the bottom, he saw a soldier slouching lazily against the wall across from an empty cell. Levi's eyes remained lidded as he approached the man, his footsteps were near silent, taking the other by surprise, he lurched up, and fumbled to salute the shorter man. Levi met his eyes with a disapproving glare and continued to the left and down the tunnel.

Soft murmurings were coming from the cell at the end of the dim hall, and Levi knew without a doubt who they belonged to. As he neared it, he slowed his movements, listening to their murmurings.

"Eren," Mikasa's soft voice was distinct through the utter silence of the hallway where Levi stood. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Mikasa, quit fussing." Eren replied, he sounded tired, "I'm alright."

Levi's eye's locked onto the two figures through the bars as he stopped just a few inches from the door to the cell, concealing him from their eyes and knowledge. Mikasa was knelt by the bed, Eren residing ontop of it, in the centre of the small cell, leant up against the headboard. From what Levi could make out, the brat was bloodied and filthy.

An arched eyebrow on Levi's head twitched in annoyance at the sight. It was diplorable. Why hadn't they cleaned the brat?

Levi took note of the bowl of water besides Mikasa on the lone table by the bed. A damp cloth was grasped within Mikasa's unbandaged hand, and she reached up, careful as she woped the blood stains from Eren's lightly tanned face. Levi narrowed his eyes, an odd feeling welling inside of him.

He blinked and directed his eyes down, Eren's left hand rested casually on his stomach, and the boy was looking down at Mikasa with those eyes - Levi's eyebrows narrowed again, this time more dangerously. Eren's opposite hand was laid beside him, and as Mikasa rested the cloth back into the bowl, Mikasa's hands went in a beeline to his hand, cupping it. She then dipped down and pressed her face to the enclosed hand.

Levi stared at the scene before him, his hands unintentionally clenched by his sides; he disliked this scene before him far more than he wanted to admit. His lips thinned and he looked away, crossing his arms over his chest out of habit.

The boy was _fine_. He didn't want to be subjected to this kind of behaviour from the _both_ of them.

Mikasa was lightly aware of a looming presence, but took no heed to the feeling as she buried her hand into Eren's.

"Mikasa!" he whined, "I'm fine." he tried to pull his hand away, but her sad frown made him sigh and let her have her own way. Eren's eye's landed on Mikasa's neck, and he frowned confused. Why hadn't he noticed sooner?

"Hey, Mikasa?"

The ashen haired girl raised her head immediately at Eren's call, "Yes, Eren?"

"Where's the scarf?"

Mikasa found herself unable to fathom what he was asking, "Huh?"

Eren frowned again, "The one I gave you, you're not wearing it." he muttered, frowning at the girl perplexed - for some reason it made Eren confused and... oddly hurt.

Mikasa froze and raised her hand to her neck hoping it was there. _Shit_. She hadn't taken it from Levi earlier in the courtyard. Mikasa raised her gaze back to Eren, his eyes locked with hers, still waiting for an answer.

"Uh, I-" Eren raised an eyebrow at her behaviour, "I must have left it in my room." she feigned a timid laugh and looked away, down to the bedsheets once more.

Eren thinned his eyes. Mikasa never forget to wear it, she wore it almost religiously, but just as he was about to speak again, his ears quirked up as he heard a scruff of boots against the stone floor from out within the hallway. He raised his head, eyes narrowing in question. Who was there?

Levi turned on his heel and quickly made his way back down the way he had come, passing the guard once more, the man saluted him as he passed by.

The man took note of how the Corporal seemed out of sorts, but wasn't about to ask him anything, fearing he'd quickly lose his head.

The Corporal walked briskly up the steps, the red scarf within his grasp, his annoyance and unwanted feelings seeping from him as he made his way toward his secluded office.


End file.
